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Social Distance Matters in Dictator Games: Evidence from 11 Mexican Villages

Author

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  • Natalia Candelo

    (Department of Economics, CUNY Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, New York, NY 11367, USA)

  • Catherine Eckel

    (Department of Economics, Texas A&M University, 4228 TAMU, College Station, TX 77845, USA)

  • Cathleen Johnson

    (Department of Philosophy, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210027, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

Abstract

We examine the impact of social distance in dictator game giving. The study is conducted in a field setting with high stakes (two days’ wages). The sample is a representative sample from eleven low-income Mexican villages. Subjects make multiple dictator decisions simultaneously, in a comparative dictator game. We show the relationship between social distance and giving using several family members, a member of the same village, and a stranger from a different village. Dictator giving shows substantial variation across recipient types and varies directly with social distance. We find higher giving towards family members than towards community members and strangers. Furthermore, our results indicate that giving to community members and to strangers is not different. In light of our results, it is important to consider the impact of social distance on inter- and intra-household transfers in policy interventions that alleviate poverty, e.g., conditional transfers.

Suggested Citation

  • Natalia Candelo & Catherine Eckel & Cathleen Johnson, 2018. "Social Distance Matters in Dictator Games: Evidence from 11 Mexican Villages," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:9:y:2018:i:4:p:77-:d:173487
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Natalia Candelo & Angela C. M. Oliveira & Catherine Eckel, 2023. "Trust among the poor: African Americans trust their neighbors, but are less trusting of public officials," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 196(3), pages 427-452, September.
    2. Catherine C. Eckel & Benjamin A. Priday & Rick K. Wilson, 2018. "Charity Begins at Home: A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment on Charitable Giving," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Robson, Matthew, 2021. "Inequality aversion, self-interest and social connectedness," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 744-772.
    4. Adena, Maja & Hakimov, Rustamdjan & Huck, Steffen, 2020. "Charitable giving by the poor: A field experiment in Kyrgyzstan," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Economics of Change SP II 2019-305r, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, revised 2020.
    5. Natalia Candelo & Angela C. M. de Oliveira & Catherine Eckel, 2019. "Worthiness versus Self‐Interest in Charitable Giving: Evidence from a Low‐Income, Minority Neighborhood," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 85(4), pages 1196-1216, April.
    6. Livingston, Jeffrey A. & Rasulmukhamedov, Rustam, 2023. "On the Interpretation of Giving in Dictator Games When the Recipient is a Charity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 275-285.
    7. Candelo, Natalia & Eckel, Catherine & Johnson, Cathleen, 2019. "The proposer’s behavior in the ultimatum game in 11 Mexican villages," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 5-8.
    8. Adena, Maja & Hakimov, Rustamdjan & Huck, Steffen, 2019. "Charitable giving by the poor: A field experiment on matching and distance to charitable output in Kyrgyzstan," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Economics of Change SP II 2019-305, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.

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