Women don't avoid competition, they avoid competing against men: Experimental evidence from Kenya

Abstract

This study examines gender differences in competitive behavior in Kenya using a series of laboratory experiments. The control condition was designed to assess the baseline competitive behavior in a mixed-gender competitive environment in a stereotypical male domain. To further understand the role of mixed-gender competitive environment on women's competition behavior, the control condition was replicated with women facing only other women as competitors. The paper also examines gender differences in competition in a high-stakes environment, where the control condition was replicated, but financial stakes were increased by a factor of ten. The study finds significant differences in competition entry between men and women in both the control and high-stakes conditions. These are largely driven by gender differences in preferences for competing in the control condition, and differences in risk and feedback aversion when the stakes are high. Women in the women-only treatment were significantly more competitive than women in the control condition and just as competitive as men in the control condition. Our findings suggest that women do not avoid competition; they avoid competing against men.