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Gender differences in dictator giving: a high-power laboratory test

Author

Listed:
  • Iván Barreda-Tarrazona

    (LEE and Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain)

  • Ainhoa Jaramillo-Gutiérrez

    (LEE and Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain)

  • Marina Pavan

    (LEE & Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón-Spain)

  • Gerardo Sabater-Grande

    (LEE and Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain)

Abstract

We gather information from a large laboratory sample comprising 1161 subjects and study gender differences in altruism using a dual-role dictator game. For robustness purposes, we control for factors potentially affecting the role of gender in dictator giving, such as the subject's age, cognitive ability, and personality traits, together with the dictator's response time and self-reported emotions motivating the decision. We find that women behave in a significantly more generous way than men: after controlling for the factors mentioned above, females transfer 7.5 percentage points more of their endowment than males. The only factor moderating this relationship between gender and dictator giving is agreeableness, which increases transfers significantly more for males than for females.

Suggested Citation

  • Iván Barreda-Tarrazona & Ainhoa Jaramillo-Gutiérrez & Marina Pavan & Gerardo Sabater-Grande, 2024. "Gender differences in dictator giving: a high-power laboratory test," Working Papers 2024/03, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    • Handle: RePEc:jau:wpaper:2024/03
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Matthias Benz & Stephan Meier, 2008. "Do people behave in experiments as in the field?—evidence from donations," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 11(3), pages 268-281, September.
    4. Alexander Peysakhovich & Martin A. Nowak & David G. Rand, 2014. "Humans display a ‘cooperative phenotype’ that is domain general and temporally stable," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    altruism; gender differences; dictator game; big five personality traits; cognitive ability; emotions.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers

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