Giving and sorting among friends: Evidence from a lab-in-the-field experiment

•We examine dictator giving in a lab-in-the-field experiment in Cairo.•Giving to a stranger and to a friend is positively correlated.•More altruistic dictators increase their giving less under nonanonymity.•Friends' altruistic preferences are not significantly correlated.•Friendships may be valued differently when financial dependence on them is high.

We examine dictator giving in a lab-in-the-field experiment in Cairo. Giving to a stranger and to a friend is positively correlated, and more altruistic dictators increase their giving less under non-anonymity. However, friends' altruistic preferences are not significantly correlated.