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Guilt, Inequity, and Gender in a Dictator Game

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  • Pierpaolo Battigalli
  • Giovanni Di Bartolomeo
  • Stefano Papa

Abstract

This research investigates the motivations in sharing decisions in a dictator game, trying to distinguish the role of guilt aversion from other social preferences, such as altruism and inequity aversion. Using an experimental design that incorporates exogenous variations in beliefs and endowments, we manipulate probabilities to generate scenarios with varying expected sharing costs. This approach allows for an in-depth examination of how sharing behaviors correlate with second-order beliefs across different cost conditions. Focusing on the guilt and inequity aversion channels, the study also explores how gender influences behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierpaolo Battigalli & Giovanni Di Bartolomeo & Stefano Papa, 2024. "Guilt, Inequity, and Gender in a Dictator Game," Working Papers in Public Economics 248, Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Roma.
    • Handle: RePEc:sap:wpaper:wp248
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Stephen Leider & Markus M. Möbius & Tanya Rosenblat & Quoc-Anh Do, 2009. "Directed Altruism and Enforced Reciprocity in Social Networks," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(4), pages 1815-1851.
    5. James Andreoni & Lise Vesterlund, 2001. "Which is the Fair Sex? Gender Differences in Altruism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(1), pages 293-312.
    6. Oleg Korenok & Edward Millner & Laura Razzolini, 2014. "Taking, giving, and impure altruism in dictator games," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 17(3), pages 488-500, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pierpaolo Battigalli & Giovanni Di Bartolomeo & Stefano Papa, 2024. "Guilt and Inequality in Dictator Games," Working Papers in Public Economics 252, Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Roma.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    expectations; guilt aversion; inequity aversion; opportunity costs; gender differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers

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