Gender differences in trust and reciprocity in repeated gift exchange games

Abstract

We explore gender differences in trust and reciprocity using the Berg et al. (1995) trust game and the Fehr et al. (1997) gift exchange game. Our study differs from previous ones in that subjects play the stage game repeatedly with random rematching of players. In the trust game, contrary to prior studies that report men are more trusting, we find no strong gender differences in trust, although we corroborate prior findings that women are more reciprocal. In the gift exchange game, we again find no significant gender differences in trust, but women appear to be less reciprocal than men.