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An economic model of early marriage

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  • Wahhaj, Zaki

Abstract

To explain female adolescent marriage patterns around the world, we develop a marriage market model with asymmetric information about prospective marriage partners, and a noisy signal about the bride’s quality during an engagement. In equilibrium, there is a negative relationship between the age and perceived quality of women on the marriage market and, consistent with available evidence, older brides make higher net marriage payments. The model also implies path dependence in the evolution of adolescent marriage practices over time and persistent effects on marriage practices from transitory shocks. Model simulations show interventions which increase the opportunity cost of early marriage attenuates the association between bride quality and age, triggering a virtuous cycle of marriage postponement.

Suggested Citation

  • Wahhaj, Zaki, 2018. "An economic model of early marriage," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 147-176.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:152:y:2018:i:c:p:147-176
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2018.06.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Khalil, Islam, 2023. "The Impact of Early Maternal Age on Early Childhood Mortality: Evidence from Egypt," MPRA Paper 127992, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Asadullah, M. Niaz & Mansoor, Nazia & Randazzo, Teresa & Wahhaj, Zaki, 2021. "Is son preference disappearing from Bangladesh?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    4. Francesca Marchetta & Claire Ricard, 2025. "Birth Order and Transition into Adulthood in Madagascar," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 19(1), pages 193-243.
    5. Amirapu, Amrit & Asadullah, Niaz & Wahhaj, Zaki, 2024. "Can the Law Affect Attitudes and Behaviour in the Absence of Strict Enforcement? Experimental Evidence from a Child Marriage Reform in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 17410, IZA Network @ LISER.
    6. Amirapu, Amrit & Asadullah, M Niaz & Wahhaj, Zaki, 2022. "Can Child Marriage Law Affect Attitudes and Behaviour in the Absence of Strict Enforcement? Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1107, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. Saqib Jafarey & Ram Mainali & Gabriel Montes‐Rojas, 2020. "Age at marriage, social norms, and female education in Nepal," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 878-909, August.
    8. Roberto Pastén & Eugenio Figueroa & Mayte Fuentes, 2025. "Not a dream wedding: the hidden nexus between gender discrimination, climate change and child marriage," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(11), pages 26845-26864, November.
    9. Wu, Jiabin & Zhang, Hanzhe, 2021. "Preference evolution in different matching markets," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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