Is there a gender gap in preschoolers’ competitiveness? An experiment in the U.S

Anya C. Samak
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Anya Savikhin Samek

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2013, vol. 92, issue C, 22-31

Abstract: We experimentally investigate the difference in competitiveness of 3–5 year-old boys and girls in the U.S. 123 children from a preschool are randomly matched into girl–girl, boy–boy, and boy–girl pairs of similar age and participate in a gender-neutral, competitive classroom activity using candy as an incentive. Children participate in a piece rate incentive scheme and a tournament incentive scheme in rounds 1 and 2, and select their preferred incentive scheme for round 3. We find that girls and boys choose to compete at equal rates – with 80% of children choosing to compete overall. We also find that girls’ output in the task is significantly lower than that of boys under the tournament scheme, but not different in round 3 for the girls and boys who self-select into the tournament. All children display a remarkable rate of confidence – 84% of children believe they won under the tournament scheme. The gender of the match does not play a significant role.

Keywords: Gender; Competition; Child preferences; Field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 C93 D74 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (58)

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Working Paper: Is There a Gender Gap in Preschoolers' Competitiveness? An Experiment in the U.S (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:92:y:2013:i:c:p:22-31

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.04.014

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