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How to Identify Trust and Reciprocity: A Replication

Author

Listed:
  • L. Flóra Drucker

    (Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)

  • Dániel Horn

    (Corvinus University of Budapest; ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies)

  • Sára Khayouti

    (University of Zürich)

  • Hubert János Kiss

    (ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies; Corvinus University of Budapest)

Abstract

We replicate the seminal three-games design introduced by Cox (2004) to disentangle trust and reciprocity from other-regarding preferences in the classic trust game. This study marks the first attempt to replicate these findings using a non-university sample. Our experiment was conducted online via Prolific, with participants based in the United States. In the original study, Cox (2004) found that senders in a treatment where receivers could not send back any money sent less than in the classical trust game, suggesting that sender behavior reflects a combination of other-regarding preferences and trust. This finding replicates in our experiment. However, the second finding does not replicate: receivers who automatically received money from senders did not send back significantly less than those in the classical trust game, where senders actively made the sending decision. Consequently, unlike Cox (2004), we find no clear distinction between other-regarding preferences and reciprocity.

Suggested Citation

  • L. Flóra Drucker & Dániel Horn & Sára Khayouti & Hubert János Kiss, 2026. "How to Identify Trust and Reciprocity: A Replication," KRTK-KTI WORKING PAPERS 2603, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:discpr:2603
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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