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More Is Less?: The Impact of Family Size on Education Outcomes in the United States, 1850–1940

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  • Hui Ren Tan

Abstract

Was there a tradeoff between family size and education during the demographic transition in the United States? Exploiting the occurrence of twin births as a source of exogenous variation in family size, I find that an additional sibling reduces the likelihood of attending school by one to two percentage points. To evaluate the persistence of family size effects, I create a linked sample of boys between 1920 and 1940. Individuals raised in larger families accumulate less human capital by adulthood. However, the impact of family size is quantitatively small relative to the average level of education in the population.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Ren Tan, 2019. "More Is Less?: The Impact of Family Size on Education Outcomes in the United States, 1850–1940," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 54(4), pages 1154-1181.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:54:y:2019:i:4:p:1154-1181
    Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.54.4.0517.8768R1
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    File URL: http://jhr.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/54/4/1154
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri, 2023. "La transición de la fecundidad en Colombia: nueva evidencia regional," Cuadernos de Historia Económica 60, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    2. James J. Feigenbaum & Hui Ren Tan, 2019. "The Return to Education in the Mid-20th Century: Evidence from Twins," NBER Working Papers 26407, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Handy, Christopher & Shester, Katharine, 2020. "The Effect of Birth Order on Educational Attainment among the Baby Boom Generation," MPRA Paper 102426, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Cai, Xiqian & Fan, Qingliang & Yuan, Congying, 2022. "The impact of only child peers on students’ cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    5. Öberg, Stefan, 2021. "Treatment for natural experiments: How to improve causal estimates using conceptual definitions and substantive interpretations," SocArXiv pkyue, Center for Open Science.
    6. Öberg, Stefan, 2021. "The casual effect of fertility: The multiple problems with instrumental variables for the number of children in families," SocArXiv peuvz, Center for Open Science.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
    • N32 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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