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Does birth spacing affect personality?

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  • Golsteyn, Bart H.H.
  • Magnée, Cécile A.J.

Abstract

This paper studies the causal effect of birth spacing (i.e., the age difference between siblings) on personality traits. We use longitudinal data from a large British cohort which has been followed from birth until age 42. Following earlier studies, we employ miscarriages between the first and second child as an instrument for birth spacing. The results show that a larger age gap between siblings negatively affects personality traits of the youngest child in two-child households. This result sheds a first light on the causal effects of birth spacing on personality traits.

Suggested Citation

  • Golsteyn, Bart H.H. & Magnée, Cécile A.J., 2017. "Does birth spacing affect personality?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 92-108.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:60:y:2017:i:c:p:92-108
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2017.02.001
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    1. L Feinstein, 2000. "The Relative Economic Importance of Academic, Psychological and Behavioural Attributes Developed on Chilhood," CEP Discussion Papers dp0443, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
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    3. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2011. "Older and Wiser? Birth Order and IQ of Young Men," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 57(1), pages 103-120, March.
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    5. V. Hotz & Juan Pantano, 2015. "Strategic parenting, birth order, and school performance," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 911-936, October.
    6. Julia M. Rohrer & Boris Egloff & Stefan C. Schmukle, 2015. "Examining the Effects of Birth Order on Personality," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 807, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    7. Kasey S. Buckles & Elizabeth L. Munnich, 2012. "Birth Spacing and Sibling Outcomes," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 47(3), pages 613-642.
    8. Feinstein, Leon, 2000. "The relative economic importance of academic, psychological and behavioural attributes developed on childhood," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20206, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    Cited by:

    1. Golsteyn, Bart H.H. & Magnée, Cécile A.J., 2020. "Does sibling gender affect personality traits?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Esteban García-Miralles & Miriam Gensowski, 2020. "Are Children's Socio-Emotional Skills Shaped by Parental Health Shocks?," CEBI working paper series 20-21, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    3. Richard Agbanyo, 2020. "Ghana's national health insurance, free maternal healthcare and facility‐based delivery services," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(1), pages 27-41, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Birth spacing; Family structure; Personality traits;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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