September 2021
Article
Games and Economic Behavior

Gender Stereotypes in Deliberation and Team Decisions

By: Katherine B. Coffman, Clio Bryant Flikkema and Olga Shurchkov

Format:Print

Abstract

We explore how groups deliberate and decide on ideas in an experiment with communication. We find that gender biases play a significant role in which group members are chosen to answer on behalf of the group. Conditional on the quality of their ideas, individuals are less likely to be selected in gender incongruent domains (i.e., male-typed domains for women; female-typed domains for men). Individuals are also less likely to promote themselves when they are in the gender minority within their group. These patterns are not well-explained by objective or subjective differences in conversational behavior, nor by differences in beliefs about idea quality. Our results seem most consistent with a preference for promoting and rewarding group members in a way that conforms with gender norms.

Keywords

Gender Differences; Stereotypes; Teams; Economic Experiments; Gender; Prejudice and Bias; Groups and Teams; Perception

Citation

Coffman, Katherine B., Clio Bryant Flikkema, and Olga Shurchkov. "Gender Stereotypes in Deliberation and Team Decisions." Games and Economic Behavior 129 (September 2021): 329–349.