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Priming and the gender gap in competitiveness

Author

Listed:
  • Barile, Lory

    (Department of Economics, University of Warwick)

  • Drouvelis, Michalis

    (Department of Economics, University of Birmingham)

Abstract

A substantial body of literature has shown that women shy away from competition against men, which has been put forward as an explanation for the significant gender differences observed in career promotions and salary negotiations. It is therefore of crucial importance to understand the conditions under which the gender gap in competitiveness can be reduced. In this study, we explore the role of priming. Our findings replicate previous work showing that, in the absence of primes, women compete less than men. By contrast, introducing a priming task can eliminate gender disparities in competitiveness, ceteris paribus; however, the effects are stronger when neutral primes are used. We perform sentiment analysis and attribute this to the more negative emotions triggered in the neutral priming condition, making women more competitive. Overall, our results indicate that costless and simple tools such as priming can be adopted by organisations aiming at reducing gender inequalities in the workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Barile, Lory & Drouvelis, Michalis, 2024. "Priming and the gender gap in competitiveness," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1490, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:1490
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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