Work

Outrunning the gender gap—boys and girls compete equally

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Recent studies find that women are less competitive than men. This gender difference in competitiveness has been suggested as one possible explanation for why men occupy the majority of top positions in many sectors. In this study we explore competitiveness in children, with the premise that both context and gendered stereotypes regarding the task at hand may influence competitive behavior. A related field experiment on Israeli children shows that only boys react to competition by running faster when competing in a race. We here test if there is a gender gap in running among 7-10 year old Swedish children. We also introduce two female sports, skipping rope and dancing, to see if competitiveness is task dependent. We find no gender difference in reaction to competition in any task; boys and girls compete equally. Studies in different environments with different types of tasks are thus important in order to make generalizable claims about gender differences in competitiveness.

Source: Experimental Economics

DOI: 10.1007/s10683-011-9282-8

Authors: Anna Dreber, Emma von Essen, Eva Ranehill

Institutions: Harvard University, Institute for Financial Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm School of Economics

Language: English

Topic: Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: Forskningsrådet för Arbetsliv och Socialvetenskap, Harvard Kennedy School