The effects of the take-option in dictator-game experiments: A comment on Engel's (2011) meta-study

Abstract

In this paper, we report a replication of Engel's (Exp. Econ. 14(4):583-610, 2011) meta-study of dictator game experiments. We find Engel's meta-study of dictator game experiments to be robust, with one important exception: the coding of the take-option (List in J. Polit. Econ. 115(3):482-493, 2007; Bardsley in Exp. Econ. 11(2):122-133, 2008; Cappelen et al. in Econ. Lett. 118(2):280-283, 2013). While Engel reports this as having no statistically significant effect, in our replications, we find an economically and statistically significant negative effect on giving in line with the relevant literature. © 2013 Economic Science Association.