Open AccessOpt-out choice framing attenuates gender differences in the decision to compete in the laboratory and in the field
Author(s) -
Joyce He,
Sonia K. Kang,
Nicola Lacetera
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2108337118
Subject(s) - perception , framing (construction) , competition (biology) , opt out , promotion (chess) , social psychology , psychology , task (project management) , social comparison theory , economics , public relations , political science , business , advertising , management , engineering , law , ecology , structural engineering , neuroscience , politics , biology
Significance How can we close the gender gap in high-level positions in organizations? Interventions such as unconscious bias training or the “lean in” approach have been largely ineffective. This article suggests, and experimentally tests, a “nudge” intervention, altering the choice architecture around the decision to apply for top positions from an “opt in” to an “opt out” default. Evidence from the laboratory and the field shows that a choice architecture in which applicants must opt out from competition reduces gender differences in competition. Opt-out framing thus seems to remove some of the bias inherent in current promotion systems, which favor those who are overconfident or like to compete. Importantly, we show that such an intervention is feasible and effective in the field.