Gender wage gap: men's competitive streak pays off

Scientists are of the view that the ability to face challenges could be the one reason why women’s salaries tend to lag behind men’s, the Daily Mail reports.

Findings of the new study have come up weeks after a report released stating female managers will not match the salaries of their male colleagues until 2067.

“To be successful in getting more attractive and better-paid jobs in the modern economy, it is important to face up to the challenge of competition instead of shying away from it,” the Daily Mail quoted Austrian researchers as saying.

Study details and findings
The study, presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference on April 20, involved two experiments.

In the first trial, children in between the ages of three and eight were asked to participate in a 30 m sprint after given the choice to run alone or with other competitors.

In the second experiment, older children aged nine to 18 were asked to perform a mathematical test individually or in contest with other participants.

In each case, youngsters who chose to compete were rewarded than those who performed the tasks alone.

Researchers from the University of Innsbruck, Germany, found that overall girls were less likely to compete despite being good at maths and being as likely to win the running race.

As per researchers of the study, males are eager to take on challenges much earlier in life which could be one reason why men's salaries are consistently higher than their female counterparts.

Past researches
Hitherto studies have shown that educated women with self-confidence, assertiveness, and successful managerial skills are sidelined at work in favor of meek, uneducated male workers.

Strikingly, while such traits are highly desirable in men, go-getter women with same attributes are criticized for not being feminine enough.