Ask for It: The Impact of Self-Esteem, Situational Characterization, and Gender on the Propensity to Initiate Negotiation

• Main Author: Beninger, Anna
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarship @ Claremont 2009
• Subjects: Negotiation; Self-esteem; Gender; Future earnings; Psychology; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/225; http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1229&context=cmc_theses

This study analyzes the impact of self-esteem (high vs. low), situational characterization ("negotiate" vs. "ask"), and gender (men vs. women) on the likelihood an individual initiates negotiation (n = 140). Self-esteem was primed with a prompt and the participants were told they could either "negotiate" or "ask" for more money after completing two tasks. A main effect of situational characterization was found such that negotiation was more likely in the "negotiate" condition than in the "ask" condition. Neither self-esteem nor gender produced significant results. A significant interaction showed that men were more likely to negotiate in the "ask" condition, but there were no gender differences in the "negotiate" condition. Finally, gender differences in anticipated future earnings were found. Men held considerably higher expectations for average salary 5 years after graduating from college than women. These results have important implications for training students to negotiate for the salaries they deserve and moving closer to closing the gender wage gap.