Family Size and Birth Order in Chile: Using Twins as a Natural Experiment

Claudia Sanhueza

doi:10.4067/S0718-88702009000200005

Authors

Claudia Sanhueza ILADES/Universidad Alberto Hurtado

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-88702009000200005

Keywords:

Birth order, family size, family fixed effects, twins, natural experiments

Abstract

This study estimates the causal effect of family size and birth order on educational attainment of individuals in the long run. Following recent literature we use the presence of twins as an instrumental variable for family size and fixed effects model for birth order. The results suggest that in Chile there is a negative relationship between family size and individuals’ educational achievements. Moreover, it shows a strong significant and positive effect of being a big brother. However, in larger families there is a nonlinear effect in which middle siblings are less favored.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bauer, T., & Gang, I. (2001). Sibling rivalry in educational attainment: The German case. Labour, 15(2), 191–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9914.00163

Becker, G. (1960). An economic analysis of fertility. In G. Becker, J. Duesenberry, & B. Okun (Eds.), Demographic and economic change in developed countries (pp. 225–256). Princeton University Press.

Becker, G., & Lewis, H. (1973). On the interaction between the quantity and quality of children. Journal of Political Economy, 81(2), 279–288. https://doi.org/10.1086/260166

Becker, G., & Tomes, N. (1976). Child endowments and the quantity and quality of children. Journal of Political Economy, 84(4), 143–162. https://doi.org/10.1086/260536

Behrman, J., Pollack, R., & Taubman, P. (1995). From parents to child: Intrahousehold allocations and intergenerational relations in the United States. University of Chicago Press.

Behrman, J., & Taubman, P. (1986). Birth order, schooling and earnings. Journal of Labor Economics, 4(3), 121–145. https://doi.org/10.1086/298124

Black, S., Devereux, P., & Salvanes, K. (2005). The more the merrier? The effect of family size and birth order on children's education. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 120(2), 669–700. https://doi.org/10.1162/0033553053970179

Chen, H. (1998). Empirical studies of human capital formation: The role of family, sibling, and neighborhood [Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University].

Conley, D., & Glauber, R. (2005). Parental educational investment and children's academic risk: Estimates of the impact of sibship size and birth order from exogenous variation in fertility (NBER Working Paper No. 11302). National Bureau of Economic Research.

Guo, G., & Van Wey, L. (1999). Sibship size and intellectual development: Is the relationship causal? American Sociological Review, 64, 169–187.

Jacobsen, J., Pearce, J. W., III, & Rosenbloom, J. (1999). The effects of childbearing on married women's labor supply and earnings: Using twin births as a natural experiment. Journal of Human Resources, 3(3), 449–474. https://doi.org/10.2307/146376

Kessler, D. (1991). Birth order, family size and achievement: Family structure and wage determination. Journal of Labor Economics, 9(4), 413–426. https://doi.org/10.1086/298275

Lindert, P. (1977). Sibling position and achievement. Journal of Human Resources, 12(2), 198–219. https://doi.org/10.2307/145385

Rosenzweig, M., & Wolpin, K. (1980). Testing the quantity-quality fertility model: The use of twins as a natural experiment. Econometrica, 48(1), 227–240. https://doi.org/10.2307/1912026

Steelman, L., Powell, B., Werum, R., & Carter, S. (2002). Reconsidering the effects of sibling configuration: Recent advances and challenges. Annual Review of Sociology, 28(1), 243–269. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.28.111301.093304

Zajonc, R. (1976). Family configuration and intelligence. Science, 192(4236), 227–236. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.192.4236.227