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Bridging the gender divide: an experimental analysis of group formation in African villages

Author

Listed:
  • Abigail Barr
  • Marleen Dekker

    (African Studies Centre (ASC), Leiden, The Netherlands)

  • Marcel Fafchamps

Abstract

Assortative matching occurs in many social contexts. We experimentally investigate gender assorting in sub-Saharan villages. In the experiment, co-villagers could form groups to share winnings in a gamble choice game. The extent to which grouping arrangements were or could be enforced and, hence, the distribution of interaction costs were exogenously varied. Thus, we can distinguish between the effects of homophily and interaction costs on the extent of observed gender assorting. We find that interaction costs matter - there is less gender assorting when grouping depends on trust. In part, this is due to trust based on co-memberships in gender-mixed religions.

Suggested Citation

  • Abigail Barr & Marleen Dekker & Marcel Fafchamps, 2009. "Bridging the gender divide: an experimental analysis of group formation in African villages," ASC Working Papers 87, African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL), Leiden, The Netherlands.
    • Handle: RePEc:asc:wpaper:87
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1887/14565
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    Cited by:

    1. Tara McIndoe-Calder, 2011. "Network Effects and Land Redistribution: A Natural Experiment in Zimbabwe," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp352, IIIS.
    2. Chamboko, Richard & Cull, Robert & Giné, Xavier & Heitmann, Soren & Reitzug, Fabian & Westhuizen, Morne Van Der, 2021. "The role of gender in agent banking: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. Sergio Currarini & Fernando Vega Redondo, 2010. "Search and Homophily in Social Networks," Working Papers 2010_24, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    4. Lahno, Amrei M. & Serra-Garcia, Marta & D’Exelle, Ben & Verschoor, Arjan, 2015. "Conflicting risk attitudes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 136-149.
    5. Klaus Abbink & Asadul Islam & Chau Nguyen, 2016. "Whose voice matters? An experimental examination of women empowerment in microfinance," Monash Economics Working Papers 40-16, Monash University, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D19 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Other
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion

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