Gender Differences in Perceived Goal Conflict and Overconfidence: Evidence from a Real-Effort Experiment

The present research examines gender-specific differences on the perception of goal conflict. In order to empirically test the effects of multiple goal settings on perceived goal conflict, a real-effort experiment was conducted within a real production environment. In total eight experimental groups have been set up, differing by the number and types of goals. Three goal dimensions, commonly set as objectives in production settings, were applied: energy efficiency, output quantity, and product quality. Findings indicate that a higher number of goals increases the perceived level of goal conflict. Moreover, men experienced significantly less goal conflict than women under the same conditions. This gender gap rises with the number of requested targets. A possible explanation for this gender inconstancy may be drawn from overconfidence research, which provides evidence for men to overestimate personal abilities due to a higher level of self-esteem. Nevertheless, irrespective of the number and types of goals, the actual goal achievements indicate no significant differences between men and women.