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Meta-analysis of the impact of age structure on fertility

Author

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  • Brigitte Waldorf
  • Pillsung Byun

Abstract

The paper uses a meta-analysis to comparatively evaluate the literature addressing the aggregate relationship between a population’s age structure and fertility, as hypothesized by Richard Easterlin. The analysis is based on 334 estimated effects retrieved from 19 studies. The results suggest that several factors undermine the empirical support of the Easterlinian age structure/fertility link. These include the neglect of income, the use of relative cohort size to characterize the age structure, mis-specifications of the relevant age-cohorts, as well as the functional form and estimation technique. The results also suggest that the sample of published estimates possibly suffers from two types of publication bias, an under-representation of insignificant effects for small samples, and bias towards supportive effects in the earlier years followed by a bias towards negative effects as the literature matured. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2005

Suggested Citation

  • Brigitte Waldorf & Pillsung Byun, 2005. "Meta-analysis of the impact of age structure on fertility," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 18(1), pages 15-40, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:18:y:2005:i:1:p:15-40
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-004-0199-9
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew J. Hill, 2014. "Easterlin revisted: Relative income and the baby boom," Economics Working Papers 1453, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    2. Barbora Šedová & Lucia Čizmaziová & Athene Cook, 2021. "A meta-analysis of climate migration literature," CEPA Discussion Papers 29, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    3. Anna Matysiak & Marta Styrc & Daniele Vignoli, 2011. "The changing educational gradient in marital disruption: A meta-analysis of European longitudinal research," Working Papers 45, Institute of Statistics and Demography, Warsaw School of Economics.
    4. Nils Ohlendorf & Michael Jakob & Jan Christoph Minx & Carsten Schröder & Jan Christoph Steckel, 2021. "Distributional Impacts of Carbon Pricing: A Meta-Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(1), pages 1-42, January.
    5. Nils Ohlendorf & Michael Jakob & Jan Christoph Minx & Carsten Schröder & Jan Christoph Steckel, 2018. "Distributional Impacts of Climate Mitigation Policies - a Meta-Analysis," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1776, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    6. Anna Matysiak & Daniele Vignoli, 2008. "Fertility and Women’s Employment: A Meta-analysis," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 24(4), pages 363-384, December.
    7. Lazzaroni, Sara & van Bergeijk, Peter A.G., 2014. "Natural disasters' impact, factors of resilience and development: A meta-analysis of the macroeconomic literature," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 333-346.
    8. Akçomak, I. Semih & ter Weel, Bas, 2009. "Social capital, innovation and growth: Evidence from Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 544-567, July.
    9. Wehkamp, Johanna & Koch, Nicolas & Lübbers, Sebastian & Fuss, Sabine, 2018. "Governance and deforestation — a meta-analysis in economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 214-227.
    10. Guadalupe Aguilera & Kim Korinek, 2020. "Immigrant Fertility in Comparative Perspective: South Africa and the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 297-322, February.
    11. Paraskevi Salamaliki & Ioannis Venetis & Nicholas Giannakopoulos, 2013. "The causal relationship between female labor supply and fertility in the USA: updated evidence via a time series multi-horizon approach," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 109-145, January.
    12. Linlan Xiao & Michael Shields, 2014. "Relative Cohort Size and Fertility in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Panel Data Approach," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(2), pages 135-142, September.
    13. Elburz, Zeynep & Nijkamp, Peter & Pels, Eric, 2017. "Public infrastructure and regional growth: Lessons from meta-analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-8.
    14. Sebri, Maamar, 2015. "Use renewables to be cleaner: Meta-analysis of the renewable energy consumption–economic growth nexus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 657-665.
    15. Daniel Liviano & Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod, 2012. "Spatial Exploration of Age Distribution in Catalan Municipalities," ERSA conference papers ersa12p81, European Regional Science Association.
    16. Hill, Matthew J., 2015. "Easterlin revisited: Relative income and the baby boom," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 71-85.
    17. Marek Loužek, 2010. "Mikroekonomické základy reprodukčního rozhodování [Microeconomic Foundations of Reproductive Behaviour]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(3), pages 374-391.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    B49; C80; J13; Meta-analysis; Easterlin hypothesis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B49 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Other
    • C80 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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