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Gender differences in competitiveness and risk taking: comparing children in Colombia and Sweden
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Gender differences in competitiveness and risk taking: comparing children in Colombia and Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Cárdenas, Juan-Camilo

    (Department of Economics, Universidad de los Andes)

  • Dreber, Anna

    (Institute for Financial Research (SIFR))

  • von Essen, Emma

    (Department of Economics, Stockholm University)

  • Ranehill, Eva

    (Dept. of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

We explore gender differences in preferences for competition and risk among children aged 9-12 in Colombia and Sweden, two countries differing in gender equality according to macro indices. We include four types of tasks that vary in gender stereotyping when looking at competitiveness: running, skipping rope, math and word search. We find that boys and girls are equally competitive in all tasks and all measures in Colombia. Unlike the consistent results in Colombia, the results in Sweden are mixed, with some indication of girls being more competitive than boys in some tasks in terms of performance change, whereas boys are more likely to choose to compete in general. Boys in both countries are more risk taking than girls, with a smaller gender gap in Sweden.

Suggested Citation

  • Cárdenas, Juan-Camilo & Dreber, Anna & von Essen, Emma & Ranehill, Eva, 2010. "Gender differences in competitiveness and risk taking: comparing children in Colombia and Sweden," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 730, Stockholm School of Economics, revised 03 Jun 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:hastef:0730
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    competitiveness; risk preferences; children; gender differences; experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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