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Intergenerational Transmission of Fertility Patterns in Britain

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Author Info
Alison L. Booth () (Australian National University, University of Essex, CEPR and IZA Bonn)
Hiau Joo Kee () (Australian National University)

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Abstract

Recent studies by economists exploring the nexus between culture and fertility have focused on cultural transmission from the origin country rather than the origin family. Our paper extends this avenue of research by investigating how family-specific ‘cultural transmission’ can affect fertility rates. In this context, we define ‘culture’ as referring to intra-family norms, and ‘cultural transmission’ refers to the transfer of these norms across generations within a family. We also allow for peer-group influences through the inclusion of controls for age cohorts and for non-English speaking country of birth. Following the methodology of Miranda (2005) and Machado and Santos Silva (2005), we estimate count data quantile regression models. Using unique data from the British Household Panel Survey, we find that a woman’s origin-family size is positively associated with her own completed fertility in the destination family and that her country of birth also matters. The effect of origin family size increases as we move from the lower to the upper tail of the conditional fertility distribution. For a subsample of continuously partnered men and women, both partners’ origin-family sizes significantly affect destination-family fertility. Our findings are robust to a number of specification checks.

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 2437.

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Length: 45 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2006
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2437

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Related research
Keywords: completed fertility; origin family size; inter-generational effects; counts quantile regression;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination
J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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References listed on IDEAS
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    Other versions:
  2. Gary S. Becker & Robert J. Barro, 1988. "A Reformulation of the Economic Theory of Fertility," NBER Working Papers 1793, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Alison Booth & Hiau Joo Kee, 2005. "Birth Order Matters: The Effect of Family Size and Birth Order on Educational Attainment," CEPR Discussion Papers 506, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Alison Booth & Hiau Kee, 2009. "Birth order matters: the effect of family size and birth order on educational attainment," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 367-397, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Cardoso, Ana Rute & Fontainha, Elsa & Monfardini, Chiara, 2008. "Children and Parents Time Use: Empirical Evidence on Investment in Human Capital in France, Italy and Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 3815, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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