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Differential performance in high vs. low stakes tests: evidence from the GRE test

Author

Listed:
  • Analia Schlosser
  • Zvika Neeman
  • Yigal Attali

Abstract

We study how different demographic groups respond to incentives by comparing their performance in “high” and “low” stakes situations. The high stakes situation is the GRE examination and the low stakes situation is a voluntary experimental section of the GRE. We find that Males exhibit a larger drop in performance between the high and low stakes examinations than females, and Whites exhibit a larger drop in performance compared to minorities. Differences between high and low stakes tests are partly explained by the fact that males and whites exert lower effort in low stakes tests compared to females and minorities.

Suggested Citation

  • Analia Schlosser & Zvika Neeman & Yigal Attali, 2019. "Differential performance in high vs. low stakes tests: evidence from the GRE test," CESifo Working Paper Series 7590, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7590
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    Cited by:

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    2. Schoner, Florian & Mergele, Lukas & Zierow, Larissa, 2024. "Grading student behavior," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Arenas, Andreu & Calsamiglia, Caterina & Loviglio, Annalisa, 2021. "What is at stake without high-stakes exams? Students’ evaluation and admission to college at the time of COVID-19," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    4. Etienne Dagorn & David Masclet & Thierry Penard, 2022. "The Behavioral Determinants of School Achievement: A Lab in the Field Experiment in Middle School," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes & University of Caen) 2022-05, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes, University of Caen and CNRS.
    5. Emanuela Macrí & Giuseppe Migali, 2022. "The effect of test anxiety on high stakes exams," Working Papers 365237216, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    6. Shen, Kailing, 2021. "Gender Discrimination," IZA Discussion Papers 14897, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    high stakes; low stakes; GRE; incentives; experiment; performance; gender gap; race gap;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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