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  • November 2014
  • Article
  • Quarterly Journal of Economics

Evidence on Self-Stereotyping and the Contribution of Ideas

By: Katherine Baldiga Coffman
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Abstract

We use a lab experiment to explore the factors that predict an individual's decision to contribute her idea to a group. We find that contribution decisions depend upon the interaction of gender and the gender stereotype associated with the decision-making domain: conditional on measured ability, individuals are less willing to contribute ideas in areas that are stereotypically outside of their gender's domain. Importantly, these decisions are largely driven by self-assessments, rather than fear of discrimination. Individuals are less confident in gender incongruent areas and are thus less willing to contribute their ideas. Because even very knowledgeable group members under-contribute in gender incongruent categories, group performance suffers and, ex post, groups have difficulty recognizing who their most talented members are. Our results show that even in an environment where other group members show no bias, women in male-typed areas and men in female-typed areas may be less influential. An intervention that provides feedback about a woman's (man's) strength in a male-typed (female-typed) area does not significantly increase the probability that she contributes her ideas to the group. A back-of-the-envelope calculation reveals that a "lean in" style policy that increases contribution by women would significantly improve group performance in male-typed domains.

Keywords

Groups and Teams; Decision Choices and Conditions; Organizations; Gender

Citation

Coffman, Katherine Baldiga. "Evidence on Self-Stereotyping and the Contribution of Ideas." Quarterly Journal of Economics 129, no. 4 (November 2014): 1625–1660.
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About The Author

Katherine B. Coffman

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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More from the Author
  • Inclusive Innovation at Mass General Brigham By: Katherine Coffman and Olivia Hull
  • A (Dynamic) Investigation of Stereotypes, Belief-Updating, and Behavior By: Katherine B. Coffman, Paola Ugalde Araya and Basit Zafar
  • Unconscious Bias Training That Works By: Francesca Gino and Katherine Coffman
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