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Son Preference and Human Capital Investment among China’s Rural-urban Migrant Households

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  • Carl Lin
  • Yan Sun
  • Chunbing Xing

Abstract

We use several datasets to study whether son preference prevails in the human capital investment among Chinese rural-urban migrant households. We find that son preference exists among the rural migrants’ households and that it caused lower probabilities relative to that of their boy counterparts that school-age girls will migrate with their parents – a difference that is absent for children of preschool age. We also find that (1) migrant households with multiple children tend to take their sons to migrate more than they take their daughters, and (2) parents of boy students spend more on their children’s education can be largely explained by the extra costs of schooling for migrant households. Our results suggest that son preference is detrimental to human capital investment for girls in contemporary China when institutional arrangements result in high costs of schooling for migrants.

Suggested Citation

  • Carl Lin & Yan Sun & Chunbing Xing, 2021. "Son Preference and Human Capital Investment among China’s Rural-urban Migrant Households," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(12), pages 2077-2094, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:57:y:2021:i:12:p:2077-2094
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2021.1961750
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Deng, Weiguang & Li, Xue & Zhang, Junsen, 2023. "Marriage, gender, and premiums from cadre parents," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Wen, Xin & Cheng, Zhiming & Tani, Massimiliano, 2025. "Daughters, Savings and Household Finances," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Yunsen Li & Yunlu Li & Gang Chen & Jing Yang, 2024. "Being an only child and children’s prosocial behaviors: evidence from rural China and the role of parenting styles," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Zhou, Yanran & Ren, Jingru & Zheng, Xiaodong, 2024. "Feeding for a brighter future: The long-term labor market consequences of school meals in rural China," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. Yuling Wu, 2024. "Gender Preferences for Children and Gender Relations in Contemporary China," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 29(3), pages 675-693, September.
    6. Wang, Qing & Zhang, Shiying, 2022. "Gender inequality in nutrition intake: Evidence from a large assistance program," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    7. Wang, Sophie Xuefei & Bansak, Cynthia, 2022. "Are Grandparents a Good Substitute for Parents as the Primary Caregiver? The Impact of Grandparents on Children's Academic Performance," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1100, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    8. Zhang, Xin & Wang, Yixuan & Hu, Xingyi & Chen, Xi, 2024. "Fetal Pollution Exposure, Cognitive Ability, and Gender-Specific Parental Investment," IZA Discussion Papers 17288, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Wang, Sophie Xuefei & Bansak, Cynthia, 2024. "Are grandparents a good substitute for parents as the primary caregiver? The impact of grandparents on Children's academic performance," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J17 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Value of Life; Foregone Income
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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