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Only Mine or All Ours: Do Stronger Entitlements Affect Altruistic Choices in the Household

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  • Dasgupta, Utteeyo
  • Mani, Subha

Abstract

We introduce a novel allocation game to investigate the role of entitlements in household decision-making. Subjects can allocate their earnings on joint consumption good, or on gender-specific private consumption good. Subjects’ consumption choices are observed under two treatments: earning with effort, and earning without effort. Women’s choices for the joint consumption good in the household remain largely independent of the treatment. In contrast, men exhibit a stronger preference for private consumption good in the effort treatment. Additionally, using a survey we find that the observed choices in the experiment are consistent with existing social norms in our subject population.

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  • Dasgupta, Utteeyo & Mani, Subha, 2015. "Only Mine or All Ours: Do Stronger Entitlements Affect Altruistic Choices in the Household," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 363-375.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:67:y:2015:i:c:p:363-375
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.10.021
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