Children’s gender and parents’ subsequent fertility and partnerships in Iceland
Are Icelandic parents influenced by the gender of their children? A number of studies in the United States have found that the parents of boys are more likely to remain and become married than parents of girls. However, the cause of this discrepancy and its external validity remain in question. Usin...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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2016
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1946/26163 |
| Summary: | Are Icelandic parents influenced by the gender of their children? A number of studies in the United States have found that the parents of boys are more likely to remain and become married than parents of girls. However, the cause of this discrepancy and its external validity remain in question. Using data from the Icelandic Birth Registry we follow 54689 mothers and 39941 fathers whose first birth is covered by the data and tested for differences in averages of four measurements conditional on gender composition of parents' first children. Our results suggest that boys in Iceland are also associated, albeit more weakly, with a stabilizing effect on the relationship between their parents. Gender also has some measurable associations with fertility and timing between births. The causal mechanisms remain unclear but could be related to biological factors and/or the father's preference. |
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