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Can simple advice eliminate the gender gap in willingness to compete?

Author

Listed:
  • Kessel, Dany
  • Mollerstrom, Johanna
  • van Veldhuizen, Roel

Abstract

As a recent literature has demonstrated, men and women differ in their willingness to sort into competitive environments. In particular, men are more willing than women to compete. We investigate whether it is possible to reduce the gender gap in willingness to compete through an information intervention that informs participants of the gap and advises them about the potential earnings implications. We find that this simple information intervention reduced the gender gap, both in a laboratory study at a German university and in a field study with Swedish high school students. Whereas some participants (primarily high performing women) benefited from the intervention, others lost out. We discuss the implications for efficiency and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Kessel, Dany & Mollerstrom, Johanna & van Veldhuizen, Roel, 2021. "Can simple advice eliminate the gender gap in willingness to compete?," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Market Behavior SP II 2021-202, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:wzbmbh:spii2021202
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    Cited by:

    1. Fu, Jingcheng & Zhong, Songfa, 2025. "Visceral influences and gender difference in competitiveness," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Katherine Coffman & Maria Paola Ugalde Araya & Basit Zafar, 2024. "A (dynamic) investigation of stereotypes, belief‐updating, and behavior," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(3), pages 957-983, July.
    3. Christopher Roby, 2022. "Social Information and Gender Differences in Competitive Preferences," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 67(1), pages 24-45, March.
    4. Barigozzi, Francesca & Domínguez, José J. & Montinari, Natalia, 2024. "Entering a gender-neutral workplace? College students’ expectations and the impact of information provision," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    5. Baier, Alexandra & Davis, Brent & Jaber-Lopez, Tarek, 2024. "Gender, choice of task, and the effect of feedback on competition: An experiment," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    6. Lüthi, Samuel & Wolter, Stefan C., 2023. "Is being competitive always an advantage? Competitiveness, gender, and labour market success," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    7. Charness, Gary & Dao, Lien & Shurchkov, Olga, 2022. "Competing now and then: The effects of delay on competitiveness across gender," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 612-630.
    8. Lea Heursen & Svenja Friess & Marina Chugunova, 2023. "Reputational Concerns and Advice-Seeking at Work," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 447, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    9. Demiral, Elif E. & Mollerstrom, Johanna, 2024. "Competitiveness and Employability," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    10. Rhee, Elaine & Noussair, Charles N., 2022. "Is the gender difference in competitive behavior history dependent?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 44-67.
    11. Görlitz, Katja & Sels, Tim, 2025. "Gender Differences in Performance Evaluations," IZA Discussion Papers 17877, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Thomas Buser & Noemi Peter & Stefan C. Wolter, 2022. "Willingness to compete, gender and career choices along the whole ability distribution," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(5), pages 1299-1326, November.
    13. Johnsen, Åshild A. & Finseraas, Henning & Hanson, Torbjørn & Kotsadam, Andreas, 2023. "The malleability of competitive preferences," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    14. Lovász, Anna & Bat-Erdene, Boldmaa & Cukrowska-Torzewska, Ewa & Rigó, Mariann & Szabó-Morvai, Ágnes, 2023. "Competition, subjective feedback, and gender gaps in performance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    15. Helena Fornwagner & Monika Pompeo & Nina Serdarevic, 2023. "Choosing Competition on Behalf of Someone Else," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(3), pages 1555-1574, March.
    16. Megalokonomou, Rigissa & Silva-Goncalves, Juliana & van Veldhuizen, Roel, 2025. "Gender Differences in Self-Promotion and Career Advice," Working Papers 2025:11, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    17. Danula K. Gamage & Georgios Kavetsos & Sushanta Mallick & Almudena Sevilla, 2024. "Pay transparency intervention and the gender pay gap: Evidence from research‐intensive universities in the UK," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 62(2), pages 293-318, June.
    18. Fröberg, Emelie & Säve-Söderbergh, Jenny & Wahlund, Richard & Wiley Wakeman, S., 2023. "The promise (and peril) in approaching gender parity: Preregistered survey experiments addressing gender inequality in negotiations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    19. Christine L Exley & Judd B Kessler, 2022. "The Gender Gap in Self-Promotion," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 137(3), pages 1345-1381.
    20. Alexander Coutts & Boon Han Koh & Zahra Murad, 2024. "The signals we give: Performance feedback, gender, and competition," Working Papers in Economics & Finance 2024-02, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Business School, Economics and Finance Subject Group.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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