Explaining Gender Differences in Confidence and Overconfidence in Math

Seo-Young Cho

MAGKS Papers on Economics from Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung)

Abstract: This paper investigates empirically how and why men and women are different in their confidence levels. In the analysis, confidence is disentangled into two dimensions: confidence in correct math knowledge and overconfidence in false knowledge. Using the data of the PISA test in math, the findings highlight that math abilities have different effects on boys and girls. Overall, math abilities increase confidence and decrease overconfidence. However, the positive effect on confidence is smaller for girls, and the negative effect on overconfidence is larger for them. This gender-asymmetric effect implies that well-performing girls are more constrained from gaining confident attitudes through their abilities, compared to well-performing boys. The empirical evidence further indicates that the gender-asymmetric effect of abilities can be explained by gender socialization that undermines women’s achievements and limit their opportunities.

Keywords: gender differences in confidence and overconfidence; gender gaps in math; genderasymmetric effects of ability; gender equality; gender socialization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C31 I21 I24 J16 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48 pages
Date: 2017
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-edu, nep-gen, nep-neu and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mar:magkse:201701

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