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Are Women (Really) More Lenient? Gender Differences in Expert Evaluations

Author

Listed:
  • Bernd Frick

    (Paderborn University)

  • Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru

    (Paderborn University)

  • Daniel Kaimann

    (Paderborn University)

Abstract

This study investigates whether women are more lenient in evaluating the performance of others. We examine the gender-specific behavior of female and male critics in expert evaluations, considering their allocated level of experience by using data from high-prestige wine assessments. We demonstrate that women rate, on average, less generously than men, even in direct comparison. In addition, we show that women with advanced experience levels are less generous than the most experienced same-sex reviewer, whereas this effect is not observed for men. Finally, controlling for self-selection into a particular field (i.e., wine critics), this study confirms previous findings using data, e.g., from professional sports: unobserved heterogeneity drives results generated in lab experiments.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernd Frick & Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru & Daniel Kaimann, 2023. "Are Women (Really) More Lenient? Gender Differences in Expert Evaluations," Working Papers Dissertations 106, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pdn:dispap:106
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender Differences; Information Asymmetry; Competitiveness; Overconfidence; Gender Bias; Reviews and Ratings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • L66 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Food; Beverages; Cosmetics; Tobacco
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor

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