Underworked and Overpaid: Elevated Entitlement in Men's Self-Pay

Abstract

Women often show evidence of depressed entitlement by paying themselves less than men pay themselves for the same work. In two studies, we demonstrated that this occurs for difficult (i.e., self-threatening) but not for easy tasks. Both studies also provided evidence of mediation. Women's level of self-pay was largely mediated by how well they thought they performed a task. In contrast, men's level of self-pay was related to their global feelings of self-worth, not their perceived performance. In Study 2, men also overestimated the quality of their work relative to women. Finally, in Study 2 we assessed the hourly wages of participants who were currently employed. Regardless of gender, people employed in low-paying jobs showed evidence of depressed entitlement when working on a difficult task. Based on these findings, we suggest that depressed entitlement among women can be reinterpreted as elevated entitlement among men. Finally, we discuss proximal and distal causes of gender differences in self-pay.