Behaviors and bias

: a quantitative analysis of gender differences in salary negotiations

Abstract

This dissertation discusses the influence of gendered negotiation tendencies, specifically, confidence, risk aversion, self-advocacy, proactiveness, and biases, on negotiation frequency and salary outcomes. Drawing on a survey of 50 working professionals from various backgrounds, this study employs quantitative methods including t-tests and logistic regressions to test the hypotheses based on behavioral economics, organizational theory, and gender studies. Regression analyses showed that self-advocacy and proactiveness were significant factors that predicted successful salary achievement and increased negotiation frequency; however, confidence did not seem to correlate in this area. The female sample was slightly less likely than the male sample to be self-advocating and confident, reflecting persistent but nuanced gender dynamics. Furthermore, the results showed that biases held internally or externally are more likely to negatively affect women than men, particularly in risk-averse contexts. Ultimately, most gender difference moderation effects were not statistically significant within this small sample; however, there were clear trends that suggested structural and perceptual barriers existed relative to persistent gender disparities in negotiation outcomes. Finally, this research showed the critical role of behavioral traits over demographic characteristics which call for further research in similar studies to evaluate contextual and cultural moderators (i.e., industry and country). By quantifying the behavioral dimensions behind negotiation disparities, this study contributed to a more precise understanding of the mechanisms driving gender gaps in professional environments.

Date of Award	13 Oct 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Wanda Mimra (Supervisor) & Peter V. Rajsingh (Co-Supervisor)