When and why women ask (or do not): Taking stock of research on gender differences in negotiation propensity, behavior, and outcomes

Evidence first emerged several decades ago that women are less likely than men to initiate negotiations and perform less competitively than men in negotiations. Researchers also have discovered moderators of these effects, including structural ambiguity, representation role, and gender salience and relevance. Furthermore, the anticipation of backlash has emerged as a potential mechanism to explain gender differences in negotiations. Yet, more recent research has revealed varied findings concerning whether gender differences, underlying mechanisms, and moderators have shifted, as well as the role of intersectionality. We review the research in this area and find that the nature of gender differences in negotiation is complex, with some recent research replicating certain past findings (e.g., gender gaps in negotiation behavior) but not others (i.e., gender gaps in negotiation propensity or moderation by representation role). Still other recent research has even revealed a reversal of gender gaps in negotiation propensity, with women being more likely than men to negotiate in certain cases, and that female negotiation counterparts are liked more than male negotiation counterparts, leading to greater counterpart satisfaction. We also consider the role of statistical power given the small-to medium-sized effects typically reported: Sample size may be another important reason for inconsistent findings in the gender and negotiation literature. Finally, we consider the potential for changing gender roles. Overall, we conclude that gender differences in negotiation performance outcomes persist and are influenced by situational nuances, but that these differences have been mitigated for propensity to initiate negotiations.