Jacopo Bassetto (University of Milan, IAB)
Ipek Yükselen
Prior studies document gender differences in wage negotiation behavior, which may contribute to the persistent gender wage gap. However, evidence on effective strategies to reduce this gap remains limited. This study provides causal evidence on the role of information in shaping negotiation intentions and behavior among university graduates. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 6,000 final-year masters students at German universities shortly before graduation. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two short informational treatments: a statistics treatment, which provided data on gender disparities in negotiation and wages, and a role-model treatment, which delivered personalized accounts of negotiation experiences from successful professionals. Following the interventions, we tracked participants through follow-up surveys as they transitioned into the labor market. Baseline results reveal a substantial gender gap in negotiation intentions, both for base salaries and other monetary components. Both treatments significantly increased womens negotiation intentions, while only the role-model treatment had a positive effect on men. However, despite the effects on negotiation intentions, we find no changes in actual negotiation behaviors upon graduation.