Spousal and Nonspousal Trust and Reciprocity: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Abstract

At the heart of economic theory lies the motive of self-interest. However, a behavioral tendency to trust others can sometimes overpower the motive of self-interest and cause the individual to act in a manner that does not maximize his or her self-interest. We attempt to analyze this trust dynamic between spouses, strangers of the same gender and strangers of the opposite gender by carrying out a trust game (BDM game) with a sample of 41 couples in Lahore, Pakistan. We also attempt to ascertain whether any spouses choose the efficiencymaximizing strategy. Finally, the study explores the determinants of trust and trustworthiness. The results of the trust game show that wives are more trusting than husbands. Overall, however, women score lower on both trust and trustworthiness.