Date of Graduation

Spring 5-21-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in International and Development Economics (MSIDEC)

College/School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program

Economics

First Advisor

Alessandra Cassar

Abstract

Past research has shown that even when women perform
equally as men, they are less competitive when cash is provided as
incentive. Using the experimental design of Cassar and Rigdon
(2021), where in a real effort tournament a social incentive
motivates women to compete more and closes the gender gap in
competitiveness, we examine if this will be found in a Nepal
sample. Following the evolutionary literature that suggests women
need each other’s support for child care, participants are given an
option to share the prize they win to help them earn friendships and
bonds in a competitive game. Our results show that the gender gap
in competition still exists with the prize-sharing option but the gap
closes when women are mothers. Women are significantly more
willing to enter competition when they have children. This could
be to better provide for their children and also, an increased
financial responsibility of child care encouraging them to compete
more.

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