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Differential Performance in High Versus Low Stakes Tests: Evidence from the Gre Test

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  • Analia Schlosser
  • Zvika Neeman
  • Yigal Attali

Abstract

We study how different demographic groups respond to incentives by comparing their performance in ‘high’ and ‘low’ stakes situations. The high stakes situation is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and the low stakes situation is a voluntary experimental section of the GRE. We find that males exhibit a larger drop in performance between the high and low stakes examinations than females, and that whites exhibit a larger drop in performance than minorities. Differences between high and low stakes tests are partly explained by the fact that males and whites exert lower effort in low stakes tests compared with females and minorities.

Suggested Citation

  • Analia Schlosser & Zvika Neeman & Yigal Attali, 2019. "Differential Performance in High Versus Low Stakes Tests: Evidence from the Gre Test," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(623), pages 2916-2948.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:129:y:2019:i:623:p:2916-2948.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/uez015
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Arenas, Andreu & Calsamiglia, Caterina, 2022. "Gender Differences in High-Stakes Performance and College Admission Policies," IZA Discussion Papers 15550, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Schoner, Florian & Mergele, Lukas & Zierow, Larissa, 2024. "Grading student behavior," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Arenas, Andreu & Calsamiglia, Caterina & Loviglio, Annalisa, 2021. "What is at stake without high-stakes exams? Students’ evaluation and admission to college at the time of COVID-19," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    4. Shen, Kailing, 2021. "Gender Discrimination," IZA Discussion Papers 14897, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Makoto Shimoji, 2023. "Setting an exam as an information design problem," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 19(3), pages 559-579, September.
    6. Etienne Dagorn & David Masclet & Thierry Penard, 2022. "The Behavioral Determinants of School Achievement: A Lab in the Field Experiment in Middle School," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes & University of Caen) 2022-05, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes, University of Caen and CNRS.
    7. Emanuela Macrí & Giuseppe Migali, 2022. "The effect of test anxiety on high stakes exams," Working Papers 365237216, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    8. Enzo Brox & Daniel Goller, 2024. "Tournaments, Contestant Heterogeneity and Performance," Papers 2401.05210, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2024.
    9. Birdi, Alvin & Cook, Steve & Elliott, Caroline & Lait, Ashley & Mehari, Tesfa & Wood, Max, 2023. "A critical review of recent economics pedagogy literature, 2020–2021," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).

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