This may be the result of different risk-preferences (Croson and Gneezy, 2009) or lower expectations of success. Evidence from the United States shows that fear of rejection is more likely to discourage women than men from applying for a loan, even though women are no more likely to be rejected when they do apply (Cole and Mehran, 2009). Despite the lack of direct evidence, it is reasonable to expect that similar mechanisms might be at play in emerging economies and they may be exacerbated by stronger anti-egalitarian social norms (Box 4.1) and by the lack of effective social safety nets.