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Gender Differences in the Response to Decision Power and Responsibility—Framing Effects in a Dictator Game

Author

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  • Lisa Bruttel

    (Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Potsdam, August-Bebel-Str. 89, 14482 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Florian Stolley

    (Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Potsdam, August-Bebel-Str. 89, 14482 Potsdam, Germany)

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of two different frames on decisions in a dictator game. Before making their allocation decision, dictators read a short text. Depending on the treatment, the text either emphasizes their decision power and freedom of choice or it stresses their responsibility for the receiver’s payoff. Including a control treatment without such a text, three treatments are conducted with a total of 207 dictators. Our results show a different reaction to these texts depending on the dictator’s gender. We find that only men react positively to a text that stresses their responsibility for the receiver, while only women seem to react positively to a text that emphasizes their decision power and freedom of choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Bruttel & Florian Stolley, 2018. "Gender Differences in the Response to Decision Power and Responsibility—Framing Effects in a Dictator Game," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:9:y:2018:i:2:p:28-:d:148046
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    Cited by:

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    2. Niklas Ziemann, 2022. "You will receive your money next week! Experimental evidence on the role of Future-Time Reference for intertemporal decision-making," CEPA Discussion Papers 56, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    3. Soňa Kukučková & Pavel Žiaran, 2018. "Free-rider Problem in Classroom Games - Impact of Gender and Intergroup Conditions," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 66(6), pages 1517-1525.
    4. Matthias Greiff & Kurt A. Ackermann & Ryan O. Murphy, 2018. "Playing a Game or Making a Decision? Methodological Issues in the Measurement of Distributional Preferences," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-25, October.
    5. Daniela Di Cagno & Arianna Galliera & Werner Güth & Luca Panaccione, 2018. "Gender Differences in Yielding to Social Influence: An Impunity Experiment," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, October.
    6. Bruttel Lisa & Nithammer Juri & Stolley Florian, 2022. "“Thanks in advance” – The negative effect of a polite phrase on compliance with a request," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 23(1), pages 61-78, February.
    7. Maria Strydom & Amale Scally & John Watson, 2019. "Impact of mood and gender on individual investors’ reactions to retractions and corrections of earnings forecasts," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(9), pages 941-955, February.
    8. Doñate-Buendía, Anabel & García-Gallego, Aurora & Petrović, Marko, 2022. "Gender and other moderators of giving in the dictator game: A meta-analysis," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 280-301.

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