Test administrator's gender affects female and male students' self-estimated verbal general knowledge

Abstract

Effects of test administrator's gender on test takers' self-estimated verbal general knowledge and de facto verbal general knowledge were investigated. Based on three theories previously applied in research dealing with the effects of test administrator's ethnicity, it was expected male and female test takers to show higher scores under female test administration. In a double-blind face-to-face-testing design, 93 university students of both genders in four groups were tested by 20 test administrators of both genders. A MANOVA confirmed the expected significant main effect. Female and male students reached higher scores in self-estimated knowledge when tested by a female test administrator in comparison to female students and male students tested by a male test administrator (Cohen's d = 0.46). No significant effects resulted for de facto knowledge.