Subject：An Experiment on Gender Representation in Majoritarian Bargaining

Guest：Diogo Geraldes, Assistant Professor, University College Dublin

Host：Xiangdong QIN, Professor, ACEM

Time：14:00-15:30 pm. Nov. 30, 2023 (Thursday)

Venue：Room A303, Antai Building, Xuhui Campus

Abstract：

Women are underrepresented in business, academic, and political decision-making bodies across the world. To investigate the causal effect of gender representation on multilateral negotiations, we experimentally manipulate the composition of triads in a majoritarian, divide-the-dollar game. We document a robust gender gap in earnings, driven largely by the exclusion of women from alliances rather than differential shares within alliances. Experiments with different subject pools show that distinct bargaining dynamics can underlie the same inequitable outcomes: gender-biased outcomes can be caused by outright discrimination, but they can also be driven by more complex dynamics related to differences in bargaining strategies. While replacing the male with a female majority all but eliminates the gap in one pool, it has minimal effect in the other. These findings show that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to the gender gap we uncovered and highlight the importance of studying bargaining dynamics in detail.

Guest Bio：

Diogo Geraldes is an Assistant Professor at the School of Economics, University College Dublin, a Research Fellow at the Geary Institute for Public Policy, and a Researcher at the Science of Diversity & Inclusion Initiative. In his research, he combines economic experiments, economic theory, and techniques of econometrics analysis to tackle policy-relevant questions.