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Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide

Linda Babcock,

Sara Laschever

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 1,493 ratings · 215 reviews

When Linda Babcock asked why so many male graduate students were teaching their own courses and most female students were assigned as assistants, her dean said: "More men ask. The women just don't ask." It turns out that whether they want higher salaries or more help at home, women often find it hard to ask. Sometimes they don't know that change is possible--they don't kno

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Kindle Edition, 240 pages

Published (first published January 1st 2003)

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Mar 22, 2012 Brenda Pike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My Negotiation and Conflict Resolution class has been really rewarding so far, but by far the best part of it has been discovering the book Women Don’t Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. It’s been a bit of a revelation for me, making me realize that the world is far more negotiable than I think. However, statistically, women are less likely to ask for what we want, and when we do ask, we tend to get less than what men do. Some reasons for this:

* We’re more anxious about conflict.
* We tend My Negotiation and Conflict Resolution class has been really rewarding so far, but by far the best part of it has been discovering the book Women Don’t Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. It’s been a bit of a revelation for me, making me realize that the world is far more negotiable than I think. However, statistically, women are less likely to ask for what we want, and when we do ask, we tend to get less than what men do. Some reasons for this:

* We’re more anxious about conflict.
* We tend to believe our circumstances are more fixed than they really are.
* We expect other people to treat us fairly.
* We tend to be more satisfied with what we have.
* We think of our incomes in terms of what we need instead of what our work is worth.
* We set our goals lower.
* If we are more forceful in pursuit of our goals, we tend to be viewed more negatively because of it.

The good news? Women tend to have a collaborative negotiating style, which has been shown to result in better outcomes than a competitive style. My professor calls it the enhanced best deal: instead of fighting to get the biggest piece of the pie, you make the pie bigger so everyone gets more. This takes a lot of openness and trust in order to share information and brainstorm creatively together—more like problem-solving than traditional bargaining. This is the strategy that seems to be favored by most negotiation teachers today. The fact that they’re trying to teach people to negotiate more like women is really reassuring to me, and makes me more confident in my own abilities to negotiate well. Preparation goes a long way toward reducing my anxiety about it!

I really don’t think the problem is as gender-specific as the book suggests, though. Jason exhibits most of the characteristics described in the book, as do a lot of other people I know. I think it could be renamed Mainers Don’t Ask without losing anything. We really don’t! We’re just used to making do with what we have. And we’re so focused on what’s fair that we actually fight to give money to each other!

I’m in the middle of buying a new car right now, and I’m keeping the lessons from this book and my negotiating class in mind as I do it. Wish me luck! ...more

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Sep 11, 2008 Shinynickel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Everyone should read this book.

For women, this book shows empirically some of the effects of gender socialization, how that socialization creates pay inequality, and what you can do about it.

For men, this book is a great window into some of the cultural dynamics that may be invisible to you, that women have to deal with every day. Also, if you are male but feel like you have trouble being assertive, you should also read it and sub yourself in for the women that Babcock studied, because you've p Everyone should read this book.

For women, this book shows empirically some of the effects of gender socialization, how that socialization creates pay inequality, and what you can do about it.

For men, this book is a great window into some of the cultural dynamics that may be invisible to you, that women have to deal with every day. Also, if you are male but feel like you have trouble being assertive, you should also read it and sub yourself in for the women that Babcock studied, because you've probably picked up some of the same cultural lessons (although not every chapter will apply to you - such as the double-bind women get in when they're punished for acting assertive because they're seen as too aggressive).

Babcock's research helps explain part of the persistent wage gap between men and women - primarily in the way gender norms around negotiations act to impede women.

The structure of the book is simple and to the point. Each chapter focuses on part of the dynamic, opening with a summary of the research to date, then moving in to talk about the best potential strategies for dealing with the findings. Topics include things such as the punishment that can accrue to women who are considered "too pushy", the way different genders are socialized to be 'good workers', and the different expectations for each gender on how to move through the world. An example of the last:

"We heard many stories of how parents communicate this difference to their children. Martha, the career counselor, described a conversation she had with her husband about 'how his father had taken the boys out and… taught them how to tip – basically, taught them how to slip the maitre d' money for good tables or give some money to the guys who were in the band to play a good song.' She'd never met a woman who'd had a comparable experience, she said, in which a parent or other authority figure took her out and showed her, as Martha put it, 'how to circumvent the system' to get what she wanted."

The titular dynamic the book discusses is that while men are encouraged by society to pursue their goals (and ask for raises, negotiate their pay when they're hired, demand higher bonuses), women are encouraged to work hard and wait to be recognized. This means that, generally, for women, being appreciated means having their boss realize how well they're doing and give them a raise. For men, being appreciated means asking for a raise and getting it. Babcock points out a subtler result of this dynamic - even bosses who want to appreciate their employees are hampered, because if they're not paying attention the men waving their hands around for raises are far more noticeable than the women working quietly and industriously expecting to be noticed.
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Dec 27, 2018 Abby Deane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: business-leadership

This book was recommended to me by the only female partner at my firm. I was skeptical because as a woman who doesn’t fall into the tentative, indirect lady category, sometimes conversations about gender bore me. However, this book was extremely helpful! I would recommend and even read again to reinforce some concepts. It is written in a research paper style, so just be prepared for that kind of structure.

The most helpful part was realizing the amount of things in life that are negotiable which ...more

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May 26, 2012 Kristy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The best part of the book was the Introduction, which does a great job of succinctly explaining how females in our generation and culture were raised to be passive and non-competitive, which works against them in their future careers by not teaching them how to negotiate for what they want. Whether that be salary, responsibilities, or titles, we are never encouraged to ask for what we've earned or what we deserve. It blew my mind and explained a lot! However, once you move into the main content ...more

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Sep 14, 2007 Stephanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who would like to improve their negotiation skills

Shelves: women

Really interesting read on women & power in negotiating/the workplace.

As a woman who isn't afraid to ask for things that I feel are rightly deserved (a promotion for working hard, a pay raise because I'm making less than the going rate for whatever it is that I'm doing), I was kind of shocked that so many of the example women in this book were so passive. But then again, I've been there - I think it's hard work learning how to ask for what you need, and negotiate for things as a woman, because Really interesting read on women & power in negotiating/the workplace.

As a woman who isn't afraid to ask for things that I feel are rightly deserved (a promotion for working hard, a pay raise because I'm making less than the going rate for whatever it is that I'm doing), I was kind of shocked that so many of the example women in this book were so passive. But then again, I've been there - I think it's hard work learning how to ask for what you need, and negotiate for things as a woman, because women are raised to be very passive. But reading this book definitely opened my eyes to some things that should help me get ahead in a culture where boys/men are primarily raised on bending the rules, healthy competition, and being aggressive in asking for what they need. Just because I wasn't brought up this way doesn't mean that I can't learn these things for my own use.

One of the more scary studies discussed in this book was one where a class of kindergarten teachers were told that some number of their students had scored very highly on a test that had been developed by Harvard that predicts future success, while another group of the students had not done as well. The psychologists running the study returned a year later to see how the students were doing, and informed the teachers that the test had been completely MADE UP. Interestingly enough, the teachers had acted on the bias of "certain students will do well" and actually encouraged those children more, whether intentionally or sub-consciously, and those kids were doing far better than their peers, based solely on the results of some imaginary test. As you can see, the "girls aren't good at math" and similar stereotypes can easily cause a self-fulfilling prophesy to happen unless people start thinking very critically about why they might buy into these ideas.

One really shocking part of this book covers the fact that women view negotiation as scary, intimidating, not worth the money you end up saving/gaining, while men view it as exciting, like a game, and a way to get more for themselves and/or their family. As a result, women are far less likely to negotiate their salary. The amount of money a woman can expect to lose over the life of her career just by not negotiating her first salary up by a small percent is a LOT, a difference of $500,000 over a 40-year career on average. So it's worth it to learn how to effectively negotiate for things like that.

One big takeaway from this book for me, which applies to my work in the technology field where there are VERY few women, is that "women are more likely to be devalued when their numbers are relatively small." So it's important to keep the women who are already working in the tech field, as well as mentoring young girls and women who are interested so they don't see the small number of women in the field and decide that it must be a terrible place. "Women who work in male-dominated industries or oganizations [should] do everything they can to reuce their token status: Recruiting other women to their fields and their firms; mentoring younger women and helping them rise to higher levels; and working actively to build networks of women that can provide the same benefits men's networks have traditionally provided.

Overall, this book has some good suggestions on how to get by the stereotypes that are out there, and there's some great advice on how to negotiate for salaries, what to do in a conflict, how to negotiate down when selling a car, etc. And there are a LOT of interesting discussions about studies showing that women are at a disadvantage compared to men from a VERY early age. ...more

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Feb 06, 2009 CJ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-books

A difficult book to read. I tend to think of myself as assertive and confident - then I noticed all the patterns I have courtesy of this book. Of course I want people to like me and I don't want them to think that I'm pushy or controlling. The end result is, I don't get what I want and then I'm unsatisfied (at best) or resentful and angry (at worst). I have found in my life that if I just open my mouth and ask for something, even if the answer is no, the world doesn't end and people don't walk a ...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Cyndie Courtney rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-book

I found the book to not be very helpful at suggesting negotiation tips. They mostly spent the majority of the book telling me how despite my best efforts I still wouldn't negotiate as well as a man, and then one chapter telling me that I still had hope if I read several other books. Important topic but more reportive than constructive.

The more I think about this book the more frustrated and depressed it makes me, especially as I approach negotiations myself. I wouldn't recommend reading it if yo ...more

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Apr 20, 2018 Kal ★ Reader Voracious rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

"The most striking finding...was that the students who had negotiated (most of them men) were able to increase their starting salaries by 7.4 percent on average, or $4,053--almost exactly the difference between the men's and women's average starting pay. This suggests that the salary differences between men and women might have been eliminated if the woman had negotiated their offers."

This book is a must-read for everyone. Even though this was published eleven years ago, the research

"The most striking finding...was that the students who had negotiated (most of them men) were able to increase their starting salaries by 7.4 percent on average, or $4,053--almost exactly the difference between the men's and women's average starting pay. This suggests that the salary differences between men and women might have been eliminated if the woman had negotiated their offers."

This book is a must-read for everyone. Even though this was published eleven years ago, the research still stands and is relevant to both men and women.

Women Don't Ask provides research and interview based data that seeks to explain a large reason for the gender pay gap: women compared to men do not negotiate. A failure to negotiate a starting salary, for instance, starts women at a $4,000 disadvantage - and they won't ever catch up through raises to cover that gap. The statistics and case studies presented in the book backs up what we have known for years, but it also provides useful recommendations to help women begin to negotiate and advocate for themselves.

"...our society still perpetuates rigid gender-based standards for behavior - standards that require women behave modestly and unselfishly and avoid promoting their own self interest. New generations of children are taught to abide by and internalize these standards...women who do rebel against these standards by pushing more overtly on their own behalf often risk being punished. Sometimes they're called 'bitchy'.."

Since reading this book I have become hyper aware of how the double standard that I have against people in power -- the same type of behavior by a woman in power rubs me the wrong way. I have also noticed that I approach work, conflict, and even in "selling myself" and my skills differently than my male counterparts. Even things as simple as discussing my experience in relation to job requirements is drastically different than my male colleagues, and this book opened my eyes to the behaviors that I can learn from them to be a stronger advocate for myself and other women in the workplace.

I cannot recommend this book enough to every person on this planet; every human can benefit from the research and suggestions presented in this book.

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Aug 31, 2011 Mark Muckerman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

As business books go, it was okay, and in the final analysis, I'm glad I read it. It did give me some broader perspectives on women in the workplace, and a new and DATA SUPPORTED viewpoint on behavioral traits in men and women. If you are a business leader who has, expects to have, or wants to have women on your team and to support them as effectively as you can, it begins with understanding. Women Don't Ask provides information, information supports understanding, and that can't help but make y ...more

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Sep 17, 2010 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: career

This book has certainly been making me think a hell of a lot, it's made me more observant of the subtle -- or non-subtle I had totally missed until now because they seem so "normal" -- ways in which girls and boys are treated and the expectations that are put upon them from early on, and how people (of both genders) react to things differently depending on the gender of the person who said or did it.

I really enjoyed all the studies described all along the book, as well as the insights the book p ...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Angela rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Angela by: Rainey

Shelves: sd-fem-bookclub

Women Don't Ask starts off strong, making a powerful case that women's large wage discrepancies can be at least partly explained by their failure to negotiate better salaries and benefits for themselves, failure to ask for what they want, and consistent undervaluation of themselves. These differences don't arise out of nowhere, we learn; from a young age girls are discouraged from asserting their own desires and instructed to value relationships over promoting themselves. Unfortunately for women ...more

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Nov 06, 2007 Kristina rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: women-and-business

Overall, I was disappointed with this book. A lot of the attitude was so anti-male I had a hard time relating to the material. Particularly the last chapter on "domestic" negotiations, which basically implies all men sleep around and infect women with STDs so women need to "negotiate" using condoms. From an academic perspective, it was well-researched and explored a good deal of landmark studies cited related to the topic of negotiation, and that's why it gets the 2 stars. This book is best for ...more

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Dec 08, 2007 Kasandra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Excellent. Elucidates what I'm sure many women already knew, expected, or suspected with statistics and case studies that were often disheartening but important. Definitely eye-opening, illuminationg our society and profoundly different norms for men vs. women where negotiation is concerned. Made me wish I had read it earlier or had access to this information far sooner, both in my career and in my personal life. Not only should this be read by all working women, the men who work with them and h ...more

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Apr 16, 2009 Layla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I'm at the beginning of this book but so far I'm finding it very exciting. The basic idea is that women generally don't negotiate in situations in which they can. For example, a large percentage of women don't negotiate their starting salaries, and starting salaries are often on the low end because the employer expects that people will negotiate. Something like 60% of men do negotiate their starting salary. Researchers have calculated that over the course of a career negotiating your starting sa ...more

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Jul 07, 2014 Kirila rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This book is about why women don't excel at negotiations as much as man do and how they approach them differently. The part I liked the best was the beginning, which gives the psychology background and reasons of how even the smallest comments and unconscious actions of our parents shape who we are. I also found later parts, which describe a way to embrace our femininity to excel, very intriguing. The book was quite a slow read for me because after each paragraph I would stop and think of situat ...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Erin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an excellent book that should probably be read by all women as they walk out the door of college in search of a "first job," but it's not too late to add this to the reading list for my peer group out there on job 5 or 10. I attended a conference a few years ago that brought this book to my attention and I completely credit it with giving me the confidence to ask for (and receive) better pay, better hours, and a much more enjoyable job situation. You can't get what you want if you don't ...more

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Jan 27, 2014 Bella Swann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really liked this book. It gave a lot of information on the reasons why women often don't negotiate, why women often negotiate better for the needs of others than for themselves, and why men see more of life as negotiable. This book looked at social, cultural, and biological factors as well as unconscious biases that both men and women hold towards assertive women who exercise leadership. This book also gave practical suggestions on how women should negotiate in different situations. I will de ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Calley Lev rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, professional-development

I wish this book was a little more instructive, instead of including about a thousand vignettes with interviewees, like Sue is a district attorney...Janet is an architect...Noreen is set designer...Paula is an orchestral violinist... blah, blah, blah. At the end of the day, I wanted to know more about how to OVERCOME the gender divide, and not be bashed over the head for the millionth time about how, YES, it sucks to be a woman in a competitive work environment. GIVE ME TOOLS NOT STATS.

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Feb 05, 2008 Jung rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

excellent book for everyone to read, especially, of course women and those who work with women. makes you think twice about assuming what is negotiable. saw a presentation by the co-author Sara Laschever and she was awesome. follow up book: Ask For It provides more practical advice on negotiating.

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Feb 12, 2018 Jamila rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: psychology, bschool, personal-development

Relatable, infuriating, and inspiring. This is a very readable book that helped illuminate some of the societal teachings and reinforcements that have informed my view of and approach to negotiation. Despite having learned tactics before, this book helped explain the mindsets that have been holding me back from effectively wielding some of those tactics. A helpful, quick read.

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Jun 11, 2009 Liza rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book is a great book for women in business. This book stresses that women often shy away from negotiation for fear of straining work relationships. This book offers tips on how to negotiate and not be afraid to ask for the resources you need to better do your job.

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Apr 30, 2013 Gina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

This book really helped me switch my perspective with respect to job negotiations. After the first few chapters though, it became a little repetitive to me, so I ended up putting it down before I finished reading it.

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Jun 30, 2016 Samantha Hines rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is a must-read. Not only does it offer sound analysis and useful advice to help move women forward, it also explains how traditional negotiating techniques by women can be a strength. Way better than Lean In.

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Jul 27, 2012 Paola rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pop-economics, microeconomics, game-theory, decision-theory-and-choice-theory

A must read for any working girl - an eye opener on how women's tendency to wait for their just reward instead of asking for it can lead to unintended inequality. ...more

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Jan 02, 2015 Kellykorreck rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Great book on communication for women. Good advice on why asking and direct communication will be most effective.

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Jul 31, 2020 Ee Cheng Ooi rated it liked it · review of another edition

A book which inundates you with facts from scientific research demonstrating that, as a woman, you're 1) unfairly perceived to be a crap leader and negotiator, 2) you're genuinely more of a crap leader and negotiator, and 3) you're helpless to change this because of the way society works. Oh, and 4) no one seems to recognise this due to their (and your) inherent unconscious biases, so you'll feel like you're taking crazy pills if you even suspect that this is holding you back. When you try to ta ...more

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Jan 11, 2018 Elpida Lygerou rated it liked it · review of another edition

Innumerous examples of why women should negotiate and explanations of the psychological differences and the reasons behind not negotiating for women. I enjoyed reading and may feel guilty if I don’t negotiate the next time round....

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Feb 02, 2018 Schafer Bomstein rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book had a significant impact on my professional life. Long before the ‘Lean In’ days, I learned how to ask for what I want.

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Jun 21, 2010 Audrey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Women have been guided by a society where they have been accustomed to wait for opportunities such as salary raises or more flexible hours. In contrast, men have generally lived in a non-restrictive world, where it can be argued that more is available to them. This causes them to feel more confident about asking for raises or negotiating flexible hours and doing it with a higher 'target' in mind than women. Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide introduces the societal barriers surro Women have been guided by a society where they have been accustomed to wait for opportunities such as salary raises or more flexible hours. In contrast, men have generally lived in a non-restrictive world, where it can be argued that more is available to them. This causes them to feel more confident about asking for raises or negotiating flexible hours and doing it with a higher 'target' in mind than women. Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide introduces the societal barriers surrounding femininity that have caused a difference in the expectations between men and women. In this article, I will discuss one of the main arguments discussed in this book, one in which I feel that I can relate with and wish to make others aware of its possible effects.

A major theme of the book is that women were brought up differently than men, which leads to their apprehension and anxiety towards negotiating and asking for what they want. Babcock and Laschever argue that from the time that they are playing with their first toys, boys and girls are taught how to behave and conform to the ideology of their sex. Young girls are instilled with these 'home-maker values' by being given toys such as dolls, kitchen equipment, and tea sets, whereas boys are given 'career-oriented' toys like fire trucks, G.I. Joes, and tractors. In effect, boys are taught to be assertive, decisive, ambitious, and dominant, while girls are taught to be nurturing, emotional, warm, and friendly. These personality traits that women have become accustomed to causes them to be less demanding than men when it comes to asking for what they want. Men are comfortable with being the 'risk-takers' while women posses more of a satisfied-with-what-you-get approach.

A related topic is that women are expected to be 'nice,' and that violating this gender role could be detrimental for women in the workplace. Unlike men, who are supposed to be tough-skinned and confident, women who are assertive and are highly confident are seen as cruel and hard to follow. This translates in the workplace for these female personality types in that men generally dislike hiring or working with women who feel 'superior'; it is against their gender role. This male attitude can lead women to fear confidence and thus asking or negotiating because they are quite aware that it can be unflattering and unlikable.

I agree with the latter in that girls are brought up differently than boys which leads to their low self-esteem and avoidance of asking for what they want or negotiating towards their goals. Babcock and Laschever argue the idea that because boys and girls are raised differently starting at a very young age, how they have come to think of themselves is a direct result. Growing up, I remember loving my life-sized kitchen set. The main features were a stove, cabinets to store the fake food, a telephone, and lower cabinets for pots and pans. My entire 'play' was centered on providing for my 'house' (for what girls' play was notoriously known as). In relation to the 'nice' factor, I thought about grade school and how it was mostly the boys who would get in trouble and speak out their opinions more frequently than the girls. Generally, we were supposed to be the quiet and shy ones of the classroom, adhering to all the rules. And we were praised for this.

In economic terms, the above issues can account for gender segregation in the labor force with predominantly male careers needing skills like 'athleticism' (construction workers), and careers highly obtained by women needing 'supportive' and 'nurturing' skills (primary educators).

Women Don't Ask is an important outlook into the phenomenon of the general inferiority of women to men historically, which also explains gender segregation in the work place and the gender gap. While things like the segregation index are improving, I feel it vital to know the possible obstacles women may face in the workforce. Women Don't Ask continues to provide advice for these obstacles and additional arguments surrounding the women's negotiation skills.

Review by Emily Haislar

Article Source: A Review of Women Don't Ask - A Look at the Childhood Phenomenon ...more

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Jun 10, 2018 Angela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2020, books-i-own, audio-book, nonfiction, issues, work, for-kirsten, read-in-2018, favorites, for-my-girls

For me, the first few chapters and the last chapter or two were the most helpful. The middle chapters were good, but I felt (after a first-read) that they were trying to attribute gender differences entirely to how children are raised and how adults/parents treat different genders. And while I think there is a lot of valid points made by the authors, is also think there are inherent differences between men and women that can’t be entirely explained by how they are raised/treated. But I don’t kno For me, the first few chapters and the last chapter or two were the most helpful. The middle chapters were good, but I felt (after a first-read) that they were trying to attribute gender differences entirely to how children are raised and how adults/parents treat different genders. And while I think there is a lot of valid points made by the authors, is also think there are inherent differences between men and women that can’t be entirely explained by how they are raised/treated. But I don’t know how you can isolate the nature vs. nurture aspect of an individual and the genders in general. I liked how later chapters focused on the positive aspects of women’s approach to negotiation and how to leverage the strengths of gender.

Some of my thoughts (at least initially) that I jotted down in the early chapters ...

Things that resonate with me so far:

- women don’t ask; they expect that it will be offered/made available/notifies that its an option that they can ask for
- don’t get mad/frustrated/upset/quit .... ASK!
- ask directly and outright ... don’t hint or be passive
- women expect that the merits of their work will be recognized and rewarded (with raises/promotions); also, women feel like the recognition of their work/effort means more when it is recognized spontaneously rather than having to call attention to the work and then get the praise/reward
- women are more outward-focused, men are self-focused
- women are happy with their jobs/salary bc they have lower expectations; this may be largely bc “women’s work” (ie: homemaking) is not compensated or valued with $$ and so it is difficult to put a value on your career work and expect/Ask for more
- we don’t routinely pay for housework (“women’s” work) but we often pay for yard work, car washes, etc (“men’s” work)
- when women know what the pay range is for a position, they value themselves pretty much the same as men —- suggesting that the issue is more about not knowing what they are worth and what the market can bear paying for that job. Also bonus ... more unknown and the men were able to negotiate higher by 19% ... so there is a negotiation element, but also just not knowing what is possible for the women

Things I don’t quite agree with:

- yes, we do treat boys and girls different as children that cause them to accept different gender ideas, but I don’t think the diff between men/women is solely attributable to that. There are some inherent differences in what girls/boys are attracted to even as infants, so we must control for natural gender tendencies. That doesn’t mean men/women should be paid differently for the same work, or not have the same opportunities or expectations, just recognize that men and women are different and understand/embrace those differences. ...more

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Linda Babcock

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Linda C. Babcock is the James Mellon Walton Professor of Economics at the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has also served as director of the Ph.D. Program and Interim Dean at the Heinz School.

Dr. Babcock grew up in Altadena, California, and attended public schools there before earning her bachelor's degree in e Linda C. Babcock is the James Mellon Walton Professor of Economics at the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has also served as director of the Ph.D. Program and Interim Dean at the Heinz School.

Dr. Babcock grew up in Altadena, California, and attended public schools there before earning her bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California at Irvine. She subsequently attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she completed a master's degree and a Ph.D. in economics. She has received numerous research grants from the National Science Foundation as well as several university teaching awards. She has served as a visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and the California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Babcock specializes in negotiation and dispute resolution. Her research has appeared in the most prestigious economics, industrial relations, and law journals, including the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Industrial Relations, the Journal of Legal Studies, The New York Times, the Economist, the Harvard Business Review, the International Herald Tribune, the Sunday Times of London and the International Review of Law and Economics. She also consults for public sector, not-for-profit, and private sector organizations.

Dr. Babcock is a member of the American Economic Association, the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, the Economic Science Association, the International Association for Conflict Management, the American Law and Economics Association, and the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession. She is currently serving on the Behavioral Economics Roundtable of the Russell Sage Foundation and as a Review Panel Member at the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Babcock lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Mark Wessel and their daughter. ...more

Books by Linda Babcock

Ask for It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want

Bitter and Sweet a Family's Journey with Cancer

Break Your Own Rules: How to Change the Patterns of Thinking That Block Women's Paths to Power

Pushback: How Smart Women Ask--and Stand Up--for What They Want

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“even when women can imagine changes that might increase their productivity at work, their happiness at home, or their overall contentment with their lives, their suppressed sense of entitlement creates real barriers to their asking. Because they’re not dissatisfied with what they have and not sure they deserve more, women often settle for less.” — 1 likes

“for women. These results suggest that men are asking for things they want and initiating negotiations much more” — 0 likes

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