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This study examines behavioral mediators which might possibly be associated with risk taking. Specifically, it is concerned with answering the question of whether there are attributes of a risk taking situation which make it more conducive for males to take greater risks than for females. The situation used in this experiment, a regulation blackjack or "21" game, employs a procedure where information about outcomes is direct, immediate, and irreversible. The author assesses the effects of outcomes on risk taking for males and females in an effort to determine whether the Blascovich et al. (1973) results would replicate and to ascertain the possible existence of a sex difference unique to the effects of outcomes. (VG)

Possible sex differences in risk-taking behavior were investigated in two experiments. In the first experiment, 15 men and 15 women played 12 hands of blackjack against a computer. A two-factor ANOVA with repeated measures on the outcome factor revealed no differences for main or interaction effects. In the second experiment 10 female and 10 male subjects played 30 games against a blackjack computer. Additionally, all subjects were required to buy into the game for $5.00 without knowing that the money would eventually be returned to them in full. As in the first experiment, no difference in the propensity to shift to risk were found but some differences in the manner in which the games were played were observed. (Author/HLM)