The Two-Sex Problem and the Marriage Squeeze in an Equilibrium Model of Marriage Markets

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The Two-Sex Problem and the Marriage Squeeze in an Equilibrium Model of Marriage Markets

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Ted Bergstrom (University of California, Santa Barbara)
David Lam (University of Michigan)

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Abstract

We develop a model of marriage market equilibrium that can be used to study effects of the age distribution of men and women on marriage patterns. The model clarifies issues in the literature such as the two-sex problem and the marriage squeeze. In particular, the fact that women tend to marry men who are older than they implies that when cohort sizes fluctuate, there are shifts in relative supply and demand of marriage partners of the two sexes. We consider age difference between spouses as an equilibrating mechanism in marriage markets. The model follows Becker's application of the Koopmans-Beckman assignment model to marriage markets. We show that even large differences in cohort sizes can be absorbed by relatively small changes in the age differential of spouses, with no necessary changes in the proportion of men and women ever marrying.

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Paper provided by Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara in its series University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series with number 1989C.

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Date of creation: 24 Jul 1989
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Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucsbec:1989c

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Paper
- Bergstrom, T. & Lam, D., 1991. "The Two-Sex Problem and the Marriage Squeeze in an Equilibrium Model of Mariage Market," Papers 91-7, Michigan - Center for Research on Economic & Social Theory.

Cited by:
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Ted Bergstrom & David Lam, . "The Effect of Cohort Sizes on Marriage Markets in Twentieth Century Sweden," Papers _029, University of Michigan, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Ted Bergstrom & David Lam, 1989. "The effects of cohort size on marriage markets in twentieth century Sweden," University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series 1989, Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara. [Downloadable!]
Sudeshna Maitra, 2006. "Population Growth and Rising Dowries: The Long-Run Mechanism of a Marriage Squeeze," Working Papers 2006_9, York University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Simon Clark, 2006. "The Uniqueness of Stable Matchings," Contributions to Theoretical Economics, Berkeley Electronic Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1283-1283. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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