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Parenthood, risk attitudes and risky behavior

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  • Görlitz, Katja
  • Tamm, Marcus

Abstract

This study analyzes how risk attitudes change when individuals experience the major life event of becoming a parent by using longitudinal data for a large and representative sample of individuals from Germany. The analysis uses a survey-based measure of risk aversion. The estimation is based on an individual fixed effects model similar to an event study. On average, men and women experience a considerable increase in risk aversion around the time of first childbirth. This increase already starts as early as two years before they become parents, it is largest shortly after childbirth and it disappears when the child becomes older. When analyzing risky choices, the results indicate that risky labor market behavior remains unaffected by parenthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Görlitz, Katja & Tamm, Marcus, 2020. "Parenthood, risk attitudes and risky behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:79:y:2020:i:c:s0167487018306597
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2019.102189
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    Cited by:

    1. Caterina Cruciani & Gloria Gardenal & Giuseppe Amitrano, 2022. "Risk Tolerance Tools: From Academia to Regulation and Back," Springer Books, in: Understanding Financial Risk Tolerance, chapter 0, pages 39-78, Springer.
    2. Gazmararian, Alexander F., 2024. "Valuing the Future: Changing Time Horizons and Policy Preferences," OSF Preprints 2m9fy, Center for Open Science.
    3. Rice, Nigel & Robone, Silvana, 2022. "The effects of health shocks on risk preferences: Do personality traits matter?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 356-371.
    4. Ayton, Peter & Bernile, Gennaro & Bucciol, Alessandro & Zarri, Luca, 2020. "The impact of life experiences on risk taking," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Thomas Meissner & Xavier Gassmann & Corinne Faure & Joachim Schleich, 2023. "Individual characteristics associated with risk and time preferences: A multi country representative survey," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 77-107, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Parenthood; Childbirth; Risk attitudes; Occupational choice; Gender differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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