Gender-specific inclinations in a Cooperation Game - Implications for Negotiations

Abstract: This study explores possible gender-specific inclinations, specifically inclinations for cooperation, fairness, discrimination, risk taking and sex stereotyping, all potentially fundamental to negotiation outcomes. The aim is that the findings may provide insight in observed gender inequality in organizational life. Participants in the study were engaged in matrix games with a Prisoners’ Dilemma-like payoff structure, but with variable degrees of possible cooperation. The games were played with the strategy method and all participants played against both women and men. The results showed no significant differences in level of cooperation between the sexes. Neither were there any significant differences in fairness or discrimination of or by either sex in the games. However, men were found to be more prone to taking risks compared to women, and both female- and male participants believed that men would take higher risks in the games. Differences in risk propensity may help explain why men do better in negotiations in organizational life, as men would be more inclined than women to enter risky negotiations and taking risks in negotiations. Thus policies aimed at lowering the risk of becoming unemployed, paired with policies to lower the risk of initiating salary negotiations, could potentially contribute to increased gender equality in organizational life.