Gender Differences in Competition: Evidence from a Matrilineal and a Patriarchal Society

42 Pages Posted: 11 Jan 2008 Last revised: 6 Jul 2022

See all articles by Uri Gneezy

Uri Gneezy

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) - Rady School of Management

Kenneth L. Leonard

University of Maryland

John A. List

University of Chicago - Department of Economics

Date Written: January 2008

Abstract

This study uses a controlled experiment to explore whether there are gender differences in selecting into competitive environments across two distinct societies: the Maasai in Tanzania and the Khasi in India. One unique aspect of these societies is that the Maasai represent a textbook example of a patriarchal society whereas the Khasi are matrilineal. Similar to the extant evidence drawn from experiments executed in Western cultures, Maasai men opt to compete at roughly twice the rate as Maasai women. Interestingly, this result is reversed amongst the Khasi, where women choose the competitive environment more often than Khasi men, and even choose to compete weakly more often than Maasai men. We view these results as potentially providing insights into the underpinnings of the factors hypothesized to be determinants of the observed gender differences in selecting into competitive environments.

Suggested Citation

Gneezy, Uri and Leonard, Kenneth L. and List, John A., Gender Differences in Competition: Evidence from a Matrilineal and a Patriarchal Society (January 2008). NBER Working Paper No. w13727, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1082746

Uri Gneezy

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) - Rady School of Management ( email )

9500 Gilman Drive
Rady School of Management
La Jolla, CA 92093
United States

Kenneth L. Leonard

University of Maryland ( email )

Symmons Hall, Rm 2200
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-5535
United States

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.arec.umd.edu/kleonard/

John A. List (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Department of Economics ( email )

1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

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