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Estimates of a Hedonic Ageing Equation for Partner Search

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  • Samuel Cameron
  • Alan Collins

Abstract

SUMMARY This paper presents the first attempts by economists to estimate an equation of the demand curve for sexual relationship partner attributes. The focus is on the age of partner sought as the item demanded. A sample of newspaper ‘personal ads' is used to construct the demand curve. The estimates show clear evidence of age trade offs in partner search which vary by gender. There is evidence that financially constrained men will trade down in terms of market desirability, i.e., up in partner age, but also that women will offer to buy younger partners with financial signalling. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Dieser Artikel präsentiert die ersten Versuche von Ökonomen, eine Gleichung für die Nachfragekurve nach Eigenschaften von Partnern bei der Partnersuche zu schätzen. Das Hauptinteresse liegt dabei auf dem Alter des Partners. Eine Stichprobe aus Kontaktanzeigen in Tageszeitungen dient dazu, die Nachfragekurve zu konstruieren. Die Schätzungen zeigen deutlich, dass Altersunterschiede bei der Partnersuche kompensiert werden müssen. So wurden Beweise dafür gefunden, dass Männer mit beschränkter finanzieller Ausstattung vom Markt weniger nachgefragt werden, also nur altere Partner finden, und Frauen versuchen, jüngere Partner durch finanzielle Anreize zu kaufen. RÉSUMÉ Cet article nous présente les premières tentatives faites par les économistes afin d'évaluer la courbe de dernande portant sur les caractéristiques du partenaire sexuel. L'accent est mis sur l'ǎge du partenaire recherché comme étant le critère essentiel. C'est grǎce à un échantillon de ‘petites annonces' parues dans les journaux que la courbe a été tracée. Ainsi les hommes ayant des contraintes financières se montreront plus conciliants quant à l'ǎge. En d'autres termes, ils accepteront des partenaires plus ǎgées tandis que les femmes jouissant des moyens financiers se proposeront d'acheter des partenaires plus jeunes.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Cameron & Alan Collins, 1997. "Estimates of a Hedonic Ageing Equation for Partner Search," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 409-418, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:kyklos:v:50:y:1997:i:3:p:409-418
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-6435.00023
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Butler-Smith & Samuel Cameron & Alan Collins, 1998. "Gender differences in mate search effort: an exploratory economic analysis of personal advertisements," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(10), pages 1277-1285.
    2. Nicolas Vaillant & François-Charles Wolff, 2011. "Positive and negative preferences in human mate selection," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 273-291, June.
    3. Nicolas Vaillant, 2004. "Discrimination in matchmaking: evidence from the price policy of a French marriage bureau," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 723-729.
    4. Samuel Cameron, 2002. "The Economics Of Partner Out Trading in Sexual Markets," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 195-222, October.
    5. Véronique Flambard & Nicolas Vaillant & François-Charles Wolff, 2011. "Dating as Leisure," Chapters, in: Samuel Cameron (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Leisure, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Gaelle Guirriec & Nicolas Vaillant, 2005. "From Libertinism to Marital Commitment: The Economics of Marital Search with Heterogeneous Agents," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 85-98, January.
    7. Samuel Cameron (ed.), 2011. "Handbook on the Economics of Leisure," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13469.
    8. Mick Silver & Saeed Heravi, 2003. "The Measurement of Quality-Adjusted Price Changes," NBER Chapters, in: Scanner Data and Price Indexes, pages 277-316, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Vaillant, Nicolas G. & Harrant, Valérie, 2008. "Determinants of the likelihood of finding the right partner in an arranged marriage: Evidence from a French matchmaking agency," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 657-671, April.
    10. Alan Collins, 2011. "Sexual Leisure Markets," Chapters, in: Samuel Cameron (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Leisure, chapter 24, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Marcos Álvarez-Díaz & Manuel González Gómez & Alberto Álvarez, 2003. "Using data-driven prediction methods in a hedonic regression problem," Working Papers 0302, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Economía Aplicada.
    12. Junsoo Lee & Seung-Jun Kwak & John List, 2000. "Average Derivative Estimation of Hedonic Price Models," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 16(1), pages 81-91, May.
    13. Collins, Alan & Judge, Guy, 2008. "Client participation in paid sex markets under alternative regulatory regimes," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 294-301, December.
    14. Vaillant, Nicolas G., 2004. "Estimating the time elapsed between ending a relationship and joining a matchmaking agency: Evidence from a French marriage bureau," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 789-802, December.
    15. Samuel Cameron & Alan Collins, 1999. "Looks unimportant? A demand function for male attractiveness by female personal advertisers," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(6), pages 381-384.

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