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Remain single or live together: Does culture matter?

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  • Marcén, Miriam
  • Morales, Marina

Abstract

This paper studies the role of culture in determining the decision to live together (as married or unmarried couples). To examine this issue, we utilize data on first-generation immigrants who arrived to the United States at or before the age of 5. We follow the epidemiological approach, indicating that the dissimilarities in the behavior of young-arrival immigrants originating from different countries, who grew up and live in the same country, can be interpreted as evidence of the existence of a cultural effect. Results show a positive and statistically significant relationship between the cultural proxy, that is, the proportion of individuals living together by country of origin, and the immigrant choice of living with a partner. We extend this analysis to the examination of both married and unmarried cohabitation, separately, and to an exploration of the formation of same- or different-origin couples. In all cases, our findings suggest an important role of culture. The results are robust after controlling for several home-country observable and unobservable characteristics, and to the use of different subsamples. With respect to the transmission of culture, we show empirical evidence of horizontal transmission of culture.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcén, Miriam & Morales, Marina, 2017. "Remain single or live together: Does culture matter?," MPRA Paper 77623, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:77623
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/77623/1/MPRA_paper_77623.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marina Morales & Jorge Velilla, 2021. "The effect of cultural environment on entrepreneurial decisions," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 48(9), pages 1309-1330, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Culture; Immigrants; Live together; Marriage; Cohabitation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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