信心的性别差距：被预期却未被计入

中文摘要

我们研究了信心的性别差距如何影响评估者（例如，雇主）对男性与女性持有的看法。我们发现信心差距具有传染性，导致评估者对女性形成过度悲观的信念。即便信心差距是被预期的，且若评估者是贝叶斯式的时信心差距本不应具有传染性，该结果依然出现。只有促进贝叶斯更新的干预措施才被证明（在某种程度上）有效。附加结果表明，即便在没有歧视性动机或先验差异空间的情况下——因为评估者被问及的是任意的而非特定性别的群体——相似结论依然成立。（JEL D82, D83, D91, J16, J22, M51）

Abstract

We investigate how the gender gap in confidence affects the views that evaluators (e.g., employers) hold about men and women. We find the confidence gap is contagious, causing evaluators to form overly pessimistic beliefs about women. This result arises even though the confidence gap is expected and even though the confidence gap shouldn’t be contagious if evaluators are Bayesian. Only an intervention that facilitates Bayesian updating proves (somewhat) effective. Additional results highlight how similar findings follow even when there is no room for discriminatory motives or differences in priors because evaluators are asked about arbitrary, rather than gender-specific, groups. (JEL D82, D83, D91, J16, J22, M51)