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One Size Fits All? Gender Differences in the Effect of Subjective Feedback

Author

Listed:
  • Agnes Szabo-Morvai

    (Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and HETFA Institute)

  • Anna Lovasz

    (Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and ELTE University)

  • Ewa Cukrowska-Torzewska

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Mariann Rigo

    (Institute of Gerontology at TU Dortmund University)

  • Andrea Kiss

    (Duke University, North Carolina)

Abstract

The effect of objective feedback on performance is often studied, while subjective feedback is largely neglected in the economics literature. We estimate the impact of positive subjective feedback - encouragement and praise - on effort and performance, and compare the effect by gender. We use a computer game, during which players are randomly chosen to be given either no feedback (control) or positive subjective feedback (treatment), and analyze the treatment effect on effort (clicks) and performance (score). Based on previous economic and psychology theories, we test the pathways through which subjective feedback can have an impact: on (1) effort, due to the updating of expected performance or direct (dis)utility from the feedback, or (2) marginal productivity. The results point to significant differences in the mean effects of subjective feedback by gender. For women, encouragement has a significant positive effect while praise has a significant negative effect on performance, while men are less responsive to subjective feedback in general. Gender differences are mostly explained by different confidence distributions, while there are no gender differences in treatment effects if confidence level is held fixed. The effects are mostly realized through changes in effort. These results suggest that better targeted supervisory communication in schools or workplaces can improve the performance of lower-confidence individuals and thereby decrease the gender gap in performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Agnes Szabo-Morvai & Anna Lovasz & Ewa Cukrowska-Torzewska & Mariann Rigo & Andrea Kiss, 2017. "One Size Fits All? Gender Differences in the Effect of Subjective Feedback," Budapest Working Papers on the Labour Market 1705, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:bworkp:1705
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender differences; supervisory feedback; experimental economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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