Gender differences in risk attitudes: Field experiments on the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi

► We conduct two risk experiments with the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi. ► Women are more risk averse than men at both tasks within both the Mosuo and the Yi. ► The gender gap on risk attitude is smaller in the Mosuo. ► Socio-economic factors such as family size also significantly affect risk attitudes.