2017 Research in the Capitol

Presentation Type

Open Access Poster Presentation

Keywords

Wages--United States; Brothers and sisters--United States;

Abstract

As evidenced by the decreased US fertility rate, families are having fewer children. As productivity has risen, the opportunity cost of having children has risen; and as wealth has increased the need to have children to provide income in old age has fallen. Research shows that with family income held constant, parents face a tradeoff between how many children they have and the perceived quality of the children. My research explores the relationship between the number of siblings an individual grows up with and adult wages. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, my results show individuals with seven or more siblings, compared to those with zero or one, negatively affect earnings in his/her adulthood.

Start Date

28-3-2017 11:30 AM

End Date

28-3-2017 1:30 PM

Event Host

University Honors Programs, Iowa Regent Universities

Faculty Advisor

Shahina Amin

Department

Department of Economics

File Format

application/pdf

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Mar 28th, 11:30 AM Mar 28th, 1:30 PM

The Effect of Childhood Siblings on Adult Income

As evidenced by the decreased US fertility rate, families are having fewer children. As productivity has risen, the opportunity cost of having children has risen; and as wealth has increased the need to have children to provide income in old age has fallen. Research shows that with family income held constant, parents face a tradeoff between how many children they have and the perceived quality of the children. My research explores the relationship between the number of siblings an individual grows up with and adult wages. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, my results show individuals with seven or more siblings, compared to those with zero or one, negatively affect earnings in his/her adulthood.