Breaking the Mold: How Shifting Gender Norms are Reshaping Consumer Behavior
(A2025-124002)

AUTHORS

Danit Ein-Gar, Tel-Aviv University; Andrea Weihrauch, University of Amsterdam; Carlos Eduardo Caldas de Souza, BI Norwegian Business School; Peeter Verlegh, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

ABSTRACT

How do changing gender norms, beliefs, and stereotypes affect consumption? Four papers use experimental methods to uncover how shifting gender norms influence consumer decisions across diverse domains—from the products we buy and the causes we support to our behavior on digital platforms and reactions to inclusive marketing. Together, these findings challenge traditional assumptions about the ways gender shapes markets, providing unique and useful insights into pluralistic ignorance, donations and cultural norms, online entitled sexism, and backlash against gendered branding. Below is the outline of each paper: # 1 Blurred Lines: Consumer Responses to Brands that Remove Gender Distinctions (Zeynep Topcu, Aylin Aydınlı, Peeter Verlegh). When brands remove gender distinctions from their ads and products to promote inclusivity, they can elicit negative responses from consumers who perceive the removal of gender cues as ambiguous and self-threatening. The authors identify political ideology and ambiguity intolerance as moderating factors, offering insights into how brands can navigate the challenges of inclusive marketing. # 2 The Effect of Recipient’s Gender and Donor’s Culture on Donation Choices (Danit Ein-Gar, Jingjing Ma, Liat Levontin, Tehila Kogut). Using evidence from the United States and China, this work investigates how donor culture interacts with the recipient's gender to influence donation preferences. Findings reveal culturally driven gender biases in donation decisions, with Western donors favoring female recipients and Eastern donors favoring male recipients. The research underscores the role of cultural norms in shaping charitable behavior and highlights implications for global fundraising campaigns. # 3 Monetized Sexism: The Influence of Subscriptions on Sexist Behavior in Live-Streaming Platforms (Malaurie Fauré, Sandra Laporte, Andrea Weihrauch). The authors uncover how subscription models contribute to sexist behavior on live streaming platforms. Paying subscribers exhibit a heightened sense of entitlement, leading to increased sexist remarks, which are often deemed more acceptable by others. The findings highlight the unintended social consequences of digital patronage and call for interventions to address these behaviors. # 4 Gender Conformity under the Masculine Gaze: How Pluralistic Ignorance Drives Gendered Consumption (Carlos Eduardo Caldas, Nathan Warren, Luk Warlop): Consumers worry about being judged if they fail to conform to gender norms. But do these worries reflect actual or imagined social judgments? Eight (all pre-registered) studies, including online and field experiments, reveal that male and female consumers consistently overestimate the degree to which men negatively evaluate people who do not adhere to gender norms. This misperception makes consumers more likely to choose products that align with traditional gender roles when in the presence of men (vs. women).