Gender Differences in Preferences
Abstract
This paper reviews the literature on gender differences in economic experiments. In the three main sections, we identify robust differences in risk preferences, social (other-regarding) preferences, and competitive preferences. We also speculate on the source of these differences, as well as on their implications. Our hope is that this article will serve as a resource for those seeking to understand gender differences and to use as a starting point to illuminate the debate on gender-specific outcomes in the labor and goods markets.
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Women are typically found to be more risk-averse than men.
“Another relevant difference is that women are typically found to be more risk-averse than men (for reviews of the literature, see Byrnes et al., 1999; Croson & Gneezy, 2009; Eckel & Grossman, 2008).”
From Talking the talk, not walking the walk: The coevolution of overconfidence and loss aversion (2026) · cites this paper as Croson & Gneezy, 2009
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- Authors
- Croson, R., & Gneezy, U.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Dallas (US)
- University of California, San Diego.
- ORCID
- Croson, Rachel
- Venue
- Journal of Economic Literature
- Publisher
- American Economic Association
- Published
- 2009-05-01
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 448-474
- ISSN
- 0022-0515 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2144383963
- Cited by
- 5,694
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 338 · 2025: 408 · 2024: 396 · 2023: 409 · 2022: 403 · 2021: 388 · 2020: 425 · 2019: 336 · 2018: 343 · 2017: 337 · 2016: 350 · 2015: 331 · 2014: 291 · 2013: 245 · 2012: 196
- FWCI
- 483.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Economic Literature (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics
- Keywords
- gender differences, risk preferences, social preferences, labor market outcomes
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