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Older and Wiser? Birth Order and IQ of Young Men

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Author Info
Sandra E. Black
Paul J. Devereux
Kjell G. Salvanes

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Abstract

While recent research finds strong evidence that birth order affects children's outcomes such as education and earnings, the evidence on the effects of birth order on IQ is decidedly mixed. This paper uses a large dataset on the population of Norway that allows us to precisely measure birth order effects on IQ using both cross-sectional and within-family methods. Importantly, irrespective of method, we find a strong and significant effect of birth order on IQ, and our results suggest that earlier born children have higher IQs. Our preferred estimates suggest differences between first-borns and second-borns of about one fifth of a standard deviation or approximately 3 IQ points. Despite these large average effects, birth order only explains about 3% of the within-family variance of IQ. When we control for birth endowments, the estimated birth order effects increase. Thus, our analysis suggests that birth order effects are not biologically determined. Also, there is no evidence that birth order effects occur because later-born children are more affected by family breakdown.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 13237.

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Date of creation: Jul 2007
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13237

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Sandra E Black & Paul J Devereux & Kjell G Salvanes, 2007. "From the Cradle to the Labor Market? The Effect of Birth Weight on Adult Outcomes," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 122(1), pages 409-439, 02. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Booth, Alison L & Kee, Hiau Joo, 2006. "Birth Order Matters: The Effect of Family Size and Birth Order on Educational Attainment," CEPR Discussion Papers 5453, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2005. "The More the Merrier? The Effect of Family Size and Birth Order on Children's Education," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 120(2), pages 669-700, May.
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  4. Hanushek, Eric A, 1992. "The Trade-Off between Child Quantity and Quality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(1), pages 84-117, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Behrman, Jere R & Taubman, Paul, 1986. "Birth Order, Schooling, and Earnings," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(3), pages S121-45, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  1. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2007. "Small Family, Smart Family? Family Size and the IQ Scores of Young Men," NBER Working Papers 13336, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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