Sensitivity of Behavior in an Allocation Game Evidence from The Gambia

Title: Sensitivity of Behavior in an Allocation Game Evidence from The Gambia

Abstract: Co-ethnic preferences have been shown to drive behavior in various economic games. The measurement of such preferences through experimental games, however, yields inconclusive results — potentially due to sensitivity of behavior to the measurement protocol. We employ a lab-in-the-field experiment using telephone surveys in The Gambia and look at the effect of the measurement protocol on behavior in an allocation game. We document that behavior in the experiment is sensitive to the phrasing of the question, but does not react to increases in stake size or the usage of face-saving language. While this sensitivity matters for the identification of co-ethnic preferences, there is no conclusive evidence on why the measurement protocol drives behavior.