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Which is the fair sex? : Gender differences in altruism

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  • Andreoni,J.
  • Vesterlund,L.

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Social Systems Research Institute)

Abstract

We study gender differences in altruism by examining a modified dictator game with varying incomes and prices. Our results indicate that the question "which is the fair sex?" has a complicated answer—when altruism is expensive, women are kinder, but when it is cheap, men are more altruistic. That is, we find that the male and female "demand curves for altruism" cross, and that men are more responsive to price changes. Furthermore, men are more likely to be either perfectly selfish or perfectly selfless, whereas women tend to be "equalitarians" who prefer to share evenly.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Andreoni,J. & Vesterlund,L., 1998. "Which is the fair sex? : Gender differences in altruism," Working papers 10, Wisconsin Madison - Social Systems.
  • Handle: RePEc:att:wimass:199810
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    File URL: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~andreoni/WorkingPapers/fairsex.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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