Which is the Fair Sex? Gender Differences in Altruism

S-Tier
Journal: Quarterly Journal of Economics
Year: 2001
Volume: 116
Issue: 1
Pages: 293-312

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

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.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:qjecon:v:116:y:2001:i:1:p:293-312.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24