Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/279207 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 10458
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
We conducted a controlled experiment to study how different gender frames used in the instructions affect economic behavior. In our experiment, we systematically varied the framing of the instructions, either using the male, the female, or a gender-inclusive form. Participants played three standard economic two-player games measuring prosocial behavior. In particular, we elicited the degree of sharing, reciprocal behavior, and honest reporting. We investigated if participants behaved differently if their self-reported gender matched the grammatical gender used in the instructions. The results reveal that the framing of instructions had the strongest impact on sharing, and the effects were mainly driven by participants self-identifying as men. In contrast, we observe only mild treatment differences, if any, regarding reciprocal behavior or honest reporting. We discuss the potential mechanisms and consequences of our findings.
Subjects: 
gender
gender inequality
gender stereotypes
grammatical gender
language
experimental methodology
JEL: 
C91
D01
J16
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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