"Gender Differences in Risk Aversion and Competitiveness: Evidence from eBay's Buy-it-Now Option

There is a great deal of literature in the fields of behavioral economics and psychology suggesting that women are, on average, both more risk averse and less competitive than men. This research will examine whether differential risk aversion and competitiveness effects real-world market outcomes. To test this we will evaluate differences in male and female buying behavior on eBay's auctioning website. To examine levels of risk aversion, competitiveness, and eBay use, a web-based survey was created. We found that women were more risk averse and less competitive.