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Parental Involvement and the Intergenerational Transmission of Economic Preferences, Attitude and Personality Traits

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Zumbuehl

    (CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis)

  • Thomas Dohmen

    (University of Bonn, Maastricht University, IZA, DIW and CESifo)

  • Gerard Pfann

    (Maastricht University, CEPR, CESifo, IZA, DIA and SOFI)

Abstract

We empirically investigate the link between parental involvement and shaping of the economic preferences, attitudes and personality traits of their children. We exploit information on the risk and trust attitudes, the Big Five personality traits and locus of control of parents and their children, as well as rich information about parental efforts in the upbringing of their children from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study. Our results show that parents who are more involved in the upbringing of their children have children with more favourable attitudes and traits. These children rank higher in traits that further their success in life, and they are more similar to their parents in those attitudes, where the optimum level is more ambiguous.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Zumbuehl & Thomas Dohmen & Gerard Pfann, 2020. "Parental Involvement and the Intergenerational Transmission of Economic Preferences, Attitude and Personality Traits," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 027, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:027
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    Cited by:

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    3. Flavia Coda Moscarola & Daniela Del Boca & Giovanna Paladino, 2023. "Parents' Preferences, Parenting Styles and Children's Outcomes," Working Papers 2023-014, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Flavia Coda Moscarola & Daniela Del Boca & Giovanna Paladino, 2024. "Intergenerational Transmission of Preferences and Parental Behaviours," CESifo Working Paper Series 10902, CESifo.
    5. Adamopoulou, Effrosyni & Olivieri, Elisabetta & Triviza, Eleftheria, 2024. "Eating habits, food consumption, and health: The role of early life experiences," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    6. Florio, Erminia & Manfredonia, Stefano, 2021. "Ancestors, inter-generational transmission of attitudes, and corporate performance: Evidence from the Italian Mass Migration," GLO Discussion Paper Series 830, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. Justine Herve & Helene Purcell & Subha Mani, 2023. "Conscientiousness Matters: How does Personality affect Labor Market Outcomes?," Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series dp2023-05er:dp2023-05, Fordham University, Department of Economics.
    8. Graeber, Daniel, 2023. "Intergenerational Health Mobility in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 16567, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Feichtmayer, Jennifer & Riphahn, Regina T., 2023. "Intergenerational Transmission of Welfare Benefit Receipt: Evidence from Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 16660, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Andrew E Clark & Rong Zhu, 2024. "Taking Back Control? Quasi-Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Retirement on Locus of Control," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(660), pages 1465-1493.
    11. Jonas Tungodden & Alexander Willén, 2023. "When Parents Decide: Gender Differences in Competitiveness," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(3), pages 751-801.
    12. Christopher Rauh & Laëtitia Renée, 2023. "How to measure parenting styles?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1063-1081, September.
    13. Bobae Hong & Kichang Kim & Yuxin Su, 2024. "The Intergenerational Transmission of Risk Preferences: Evidence from Field Experiments in China and Korea," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 151-173, March.
    14. Chen, Yefeng & Yang, Wenyuan & Luo, Gansong & Luo, Jun, 2024. "Choosing tournament for children: Parenting style and information intervention," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    15. Paul Schüle, 2023. "Career Preferences and Socio-Economic Background," ifo Working Paper Series 395, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    16. Dahmann, Sarah C. & Kettlewell, Nathan & Lam, Jack, 2022. "Parental Separation and the Formation of Economic Preferences," IZA Discussion Papers 14993, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Kiessling, Lukas, 2021. "How do parents perceive the returns to parenting styles and neighborhoods?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Kleinhempel, Johannes & Klasing, Mariko & Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd, 2022. "Cultural Roots of Entrepreneurship," MPRA Paper 115942, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Bao, Te & Yuan, Yuemei & Luo, Weidong & Xu, Bin, 2024. "Unlucky to have brothers: Sibling sex composition and girls’ locus of control," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    20. Brenøe, Anne Ardila & Epper, Thomas, 2022. "Parenting values and the intergenerational transmission of time preferences," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    21. Jonsson, Sara & Ouyang, Qinglin, 2023. "Effects of cultural origin on entrepreneurship," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 308-319.
    22. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Tayeb, Haniene, 2024. "Family Stress and the Intergenerational Correlation in Self-Control," IZA Discussion Papers 17265, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    23. Greta Morando & Sonkurt Sen & Almudena Sevilla, 2024. "Maternal Beliefs and Long-Term Child Skill Development," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_498, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk preferences; trust; intergenerational transmission; cultural transmission; social mobility; SOEP;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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