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Gender Norms, Stereotypical Beliefs, and Competitiveness

Author

Listed:
  • Koch, Alexander K.

    (Aarhus University)

  • Nafziger, Julia

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

Using an online experiment with 5,762 US participants, we investigate whether individuals who seek competition face inaccurate perceptions of their behaviors and personality and whether women are held to different standards than men. We find that evaluators perceive competitive women as less social, more career-oriented, and less (stereotypically) feminine and more (stereotypically) masculine than they actually are or state to be. However, competitive men face similarly inaccurate beliefs and hence belief accuracy does not differ for men and women. Nevertheless, our findings point to social penalties that competitive women may experience -- not for seeking competition itself (which is socially accepted), but because the behaviors associated with seeking competition violate gender-specific norms. Meanwhile, men encounter a double-edged sword: while seeking competition earns them esteem, both, behaviors associated with seeking and avoiding competition can lead to social penalties.

Suggested Citation

  • Koch, Alexander K. & Nafziger, Julia, 2025. "Gender Norms, Stereotypical Beliefs, and Competitiveness," IZA Discussion Papers 17840, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17840
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    stereotypes; beliefs; competitiveness; gender; norms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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