Dynamic Repeated Random Dictatorship and Gender Discrimination

Abstract

To reduce the cognitive experimenter demand effect we embed a dictator game in a more complex decision environment, a dynamic household savings decision problem, thus rendering the dictator decision to share some endowment less salient. We then use this game in a laboratory experiment to investigate gender specific allocation behavior and discrimination. We observe that dictators treat females nicer than males independent of their own gender. Participants are not aware of their discriminating behavior.

Keywords: dictator game, considerate attitudes, altruistic preferences, gender discrimination

JEL Classification: C73, C91, D91