Decision Making in the Job Application Process: Could Differences in Risk Preference Be Contributing to Workplace Gender Discrepancies?

Recent evidence has suggested that women apply for jobs at a lower rate than men. Some researchers have proposed that these lower application rates are due to gender differences in risk preferences. Specifically, it has been shown that women are generally more risk averse than men. The proposed study will simulate the job application process in an attempt to examine gender differences in risk preferences. Participants will be given a scenario in which they must decide whether or not they will apply for a job (Risky Job) and will be asked to indicate their perceived probability of success. Participants then will be offered a certain job with a lower salary than the Risky Job, and will be asked how much the minimum salary the Risky Job would have to offer for them to decline the certain job and continue the application for the Risky Job. Participants’ responses will indicate individual application rates, subjective probabilities of success, and valuations of the gamble in order to determine if women are more risk averse than men in the job application process