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Gender differences in the dictator experiment: evidence from the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi

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  • Binglin Gong
  • Huibin Yan
  • Chun-Lei Yang

Abstract

In this study, we report experimental results on the dictator decision collected in two neighboring ethnic minority groups, the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi, in southwestern China. We follow the double-blind protocol as in Eckel and Grossman (in Handbook of experimental economics results, 1998 ), who find that women in the U.S. donate more than men. We find this pattern reversed in the Mosuo society and find no gender difference in the Yi society. This is highly suggestive that societal factors play an important role in shaping the gender differences in pro-social behavior such as dictator giving. Copyright Economic Science Association 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Binglin Gong & Huibin Yan & Chun-Lei Yang, 2015. "Gender differences in the dictator experiment: evidence from the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(2), pages 302-313, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:expeco:v:18:y:2015:i:2:p:302-313
    DOI: 10.1007/s10683-014-9403-2
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    2. Smriti Sharma, 2015. "Gender and Distributional Preferences: Experimental Evidence from India," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-062, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Shahriar, Abu Zafar M., 2018. "Gender differences in entrepreneurial propensity: Evidence from matrilineal and patriarchal societies," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 762-779.
    4. van Hoorn, André, 2018. "The use of identity primes to explain behavioral differences between groups: A methodological note," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 146-150.
    5. Hiller, Victor & Baudin, Thomas, 2016. "Cultural transmission and the evolution of gender roles," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 8-23.
    6. Bao, Te & Liang, Bin & Pei, Jiaoying, 2022. "Does ethnic diversity always undermine pro-social behavior? Evidence from a laboratory experiment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Lata Gangadharan & Tarun Jain & Pushkar Maitra & Joe Vecci, 2022. "Lab-in-the-field experiments: perspectives from research on gender," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 31-59, January.
    8. Schwieren, Christiane & Klonner, Stefan & Pal, Sumantra, 2020. "Equality of the Sexes and Gender Differences in Competition: Evidence from Three Traditional Societies," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224523, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Sharma, Smriti, 2015. "Gender and distributional preferences: Experimental evidence from India," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 113-123.
    10. Giuliano, Paola, 2020. "Gender and Culture," CEPR Discussion Papers 15185, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Sharma, Smriti, 2015. "Gender and distributional preferences: Experimental evidence from India," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 113-123.
    12. Alberto J. C. Micheletti & Graeme D. Ruxton & Andy Gardner, 2020. "The demography of human warfare can drive sex differences in altruism," Post-Print hal-02493903, HAL.
    13. Chew, Soo Hong & Ebstein, Richard P. & Israel, Salomon & Lei, Zhen & Tang, Wei, 2023. "Adam Smith’s error? Gender and country differences in altruistic giving revealed using the Andreoni–Miller dictator game," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    14. Giuliano, Paola, 2017. "Gender: An Historical Perspective," CEPR Discussion Papers 12183, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Lowes, Sara, 2021. "Kinship structure, stress, and the gender gap in competition," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 36-57.
    16. Halladay, Brianna & Landsman, Rachel, 2024. "Shame on me: Emotions and gender differences in taking with earned endowments," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    17. Antonio M. Espin & Valerio Capraro & Brice Corgnet & Simon Gachter & Roberto Hernan-Gonzalez & Praveen Kujal & Stephen Rassenti, 2021. "Differences in Cognitive Reflection Mediate Gender Differences in Social Preferences," Working Papers 21-22, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    18. Siobhán M. Mattison & Neil G. MacLaren & Ruizhe Liu & Adam Z. Reynolds & Gabrielle D. Baca & Peter M. Mattison & Meng Zhang & Chun-Yi Sum & Mary K. Shenk & Tami Blumenfield & Christopher von Rueden & , 2021. "Gender Differences in Social Networks Based on Prevailing Kinship Norms in the Mosuo of China," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    19. Steffen Andersen & Seda Ertac & Uri Gneezy & John A. List & Sandra Maximiano, 2018. "On the cultural basis of gender differences in negotiation," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(4), pages 757-778, December.
    20. Austermann, Christine & von Blanckenburg, Korbinian & Iseke, Anja & Tebbe, Eva, 2024. "Stereotypical behavior vs. expectations: Gender differences in a dictator game," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    21. Ece Yagman & Malcolm Keswell, 2015. "Accents, Race and Discrimination: Evidence from a Trust Game," SALDRU Working Papers 158, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender difference; Ethnic difference; Dictator game; Matrilineal society; Field experiment; C93; D03; Z1; J15; J16;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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