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Understanding parental gender preferences in advanced societies: Lessons from Sweden and Finland

Author

Listed:
  • Gunnar Andersson

    (Stockholms Universitet)

  • Karsten Hank

    (Universität zu Köln)

  • Andres Vikat

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE))

Abstract

Extending recent research on parental gender preferences in the Nordic countries, this study uses unique register data from Finland and Sweden (1971-1999) that provide us with the opportunity to compare childbearing dynamics and possible underlying sex preferences among natives and national minorities, namely Finnish-born immigrants in Sweden and members of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. Moreover, our Swedish data allow us to investigate regional and educational differences in child-sex specific fertility behavior of two-child mothers in 1981-1999. For Finland, we observe a continuous boy preference among the national majority and the Swedish-speaking minority as reflected in higher third-birth rates of mothers of two girls than of mothers of two boys. Evidence of similar preferences is found for Finnish-born migrants in Sweden, where the native-born population appears to have developed a girl preference, though. In all cases, we also observe clear indications of a preference for having at least one child of each sex. Generally speaking, our findings support an interpretation of parental gender preferences as a longstanding cultural phenomenon, related to country of childhood socialization rather than language group. Our analysis of regional and educational differentials in Sweden reveals no evidence which supports diffusion theories of persistence and change in parents’ sex preferences for children.

Suggested Citation

  • Gunnar Andersson & Karsten Hank & Andres Vikat, 2007. "Understanding parental gender preferences in advanced societies: Lessons from Sweden and Finland," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(6), pages 135-156.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:17:y:2007:i:6
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2007.17.6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gunnar Andersson & Kirk Scott, 2007. "Childbearing dynamics of couples in a universalistic welfare state: the role of labor-market status, country of origin, and gender," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-016, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    2. Gunnar Andersson & Karsten Hank & Marit Rønsen & Andres Vikat, 2006. "Gendering family composition: Sex preferences for children and childbearing behavior in the Nordic countries," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 43(2), pages 255-267, May.
    3. Manski, Charles F., 1992. "Identification Problems In The Social Sciences," SSRI Workshop Series 292716, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Social Systems Research Institute.
    4. Gunnar Andersson & Jan M. Hoem & Ann-Zofie Duvander, 2006. "Social differentials in speed-premium effects in childbearing in Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 14(4), pages 51-70.
    5. repec:cai:poeine:pope_301_0133 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Karsten Hank & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2000. "Gender Preferences for Children in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 2(1).
    7. Seidl, Christian, 1995. "The Desire for a Son Is the Father of Many Daughters: A Sex Ratio Paradox," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 8(2), pages 185-203, May.
    8. Dahl, Gordon B. & Moretti, Enrico, 2004. "The Demand for Sons: Evidence from Divorce, Fertility, and Shotgun Marriage," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt63f8483b, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hirvonen, Lalaina, 2009. "The Effect of Children on Earnings Using Exogenous Variation in Family Size: Swedish Evidence," Working Paper Series 2/2009, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    2. Eleonora Mussino & Vitor Miranda & Li Ma, 2019. "Transition to third birth among immigrant mothers in Sweden: Does having two daughters accelerate the process?," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 81-109, June.
    3. Ankita Mishra & Jaai Parasnis, 2022. "Intentions for a third child: The role of parental sex composition preferences," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(3), pages 472-487, August.
    4. Vitor Miranda & Johan Dahlberg & Gunnar Andersson, 2018. "Parents’ Preferences for Sex of Children in Sweden: Attitudes and Outcomes," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 37(3), pages 443-459, June.
    5. Martin Kolk & Karim Jebari, 2022. "Sex Selection for Daughters: Demographic Consequences of Female-Biased Sex Ratios," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(4), pages 1619-1639, August.
    6. Márton Varga, 2014. "The effect of education, family size, unemployment and childcare availability on birth stopping and timing," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 13(2), pages 95-115, August.
    7. Gunnar Andersson & Kirk Scott, 2007. "Childbearing dynamics of couples in a universalistic welfare state: the role of labor-market status, country of origin, and gender," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-016, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    8. Sarah Carol & Karsten Hank, 2020. "Natives’ and Immigrants’ Gender Preferences for Children in Germany," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(2), pages 235-246, April.
    9. Valentine Becquet & Nicolás Sacco & Ignacio Pardo, 2022. "Disparities in Gender Preference and Fertility: Southeast Asia and Latin America in a Comparative Perspective," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 1295-1323, June.
    10. Jan Saarela & Fjalar Finnäs, 2014. "Sex composition of children, parental separation, and parity progression: Is Finland a Nordic outlier?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(2), pages 49-70.
    11. Myck, Michal & Oczkowska, Monika & Wowczko, Izabela, 2021. "Gender Preferences in Central and Eastern Europe as Reflected in Partnership and Fertility Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 14244, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Wang, Qingfeng, 2018. "Son Preference and Human Capital," MPRA Paper 95411, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 Aug 2019.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fertility; Finland; Sweden; sex preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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