Gender and Risk: The Emotional Fluctuation Effect

Punam Anand Keller and Ardis L. Olson

Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2018, vol. 3, issue 1, 109 - 122

Abstract: The literature indicates males are more risk-seeking than females. This study examines whether anxiety increases the gender gap in risk-seeking, whereas sadness closes the gender gap in risk-seeking, a pattern we call the Emotional Fluctuation Effect. In two studies, one with an adolescent sample and the other employing an adult sample, we find similar levels of risk-seeking when males are in anxious or sad states. By contrast, anxious females are less risk-seeking than anxious males (study 1 and study 2), and anxious adolescent girls are less risk-seeking than sad adolescent girls (study 1). Together our findings indicate that gender differences in risk-seeking can be explained in part by anxious girls and women avoiding risky behaviors.

Date: 2018
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