Other-Regarding Preferences in Only Children: An Experimental Study Based on Game Theory

The controversy over the only children has been the focus of society. Most native and abroad research focused on personality and morality of the only children has not been consistent. The game theoretical paradigm provides a new approach and perspective to study the difference of otherregarding preferences in the only children and those who have siblings. The results showed that only children’s resource allocations were more prosocial and egalitarian, while there is a smaller fraction of spiteful types in single children than in non-single children; for altruistic total scores, altruistic types and homo economics types, we did not find any significant difference between pupils who were only children and pupils who have siblings. The findings suggest that single children are not at any disadvantage compared to their peers who have siblings and they enjoy some advantages even in some aspects.