ABSTRACT
Recent literature presents evidence that men are more competitively inclined
than women. Since top-level careers usually require competitiveness, competitiveness
differences provide an explanation for gender gaps in wages and differences in
occupational choice. A natural question is whether women are born less competitive, or
whether they become so through the process of socialization. To pinpoint when in the
socialization process the difference arises, we compare the competitiveness of children in
matrilineal and patriarchal societies. We find that while there is no difference at any age
in the matrilineal society, girls become less competitive around puberty in the patriarchal
society.