Work

The Lion’s Share: An Experimental Analysis of Polygamy in Northern Nigeria

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: We use simple public goods games to investigate spousal behavior in Kano, northern Nigeria, one of the modern heartlands of polygyny. Most partners keep back at least half of their endowment from the common pool, but we find no evidence that polygynous households are less efficient than their monogamous counterparts. When men control the allocation, equal treatment of wives is common, but senior wives often receive more from their husbands, no matter what their contribution. However, the clearest result is that when men control the allocation, polygynous husbands receive a higher payoff compared to their wives and their monogamous counterparts.

Source: Economic Development and Cultural Change

DOI: 10.1086/700102

Authors: Alistair Munro, Bereket Kebede, Marcela Tarazona, Arjan Verschoor

Institutions: National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, University of East Anglia

Language: English

Topic: Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funders: Economic and Social Research Council, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science