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Does Reality TV Induce Real Effects? A Response to Jaeger, Joyce, and Kaestner (2016)

Author

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  • Kearney, Melissa S.

    (University of Maryland)

  • Levine, Phillip B.

    (Wellesley College)

Abstract

This paper presents a response to Jaeger, Joyce, and Kaestner's (JJK) recent critique (IZA Discussion Paper No. 10317) of our 2015 paper "Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing." In terms of replication, those authors are able to confirm every result in our paper. In terms of reassessment, the substance of their critique rests on the claim that the parallel trends assumption, necessary to attribute causation to our findings, is not satisfied. We present three main responses: (1) there is no evidence of a parallel trends assumption violation during our sample window of 2005 through 2010; (2) the finding of a false placebo test result during one particular earlier window of time does not invalidate the finding of a discrete break in trend at the time of the show's introduction; (3) the results of our analysis are robust to virtually all alternative econometric specifications and sample windows that JJK consider. We conclude that this critique does not pose a serious threat to the interpretation of our 2015 findings. We maintain the position that our earlier paper is informative about the causal effect of 16 and Pregnant on teen birth rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Kearney, Melissa S. & Levine, Phillip B., 2016. "Does Reality TV Induce Real Effects? A Response to Jaeger, Joyce, and Kaestner (2016)," IZA Discussion Papers 10318, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10318
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    Cited by:

    1. Lindo, Jason M. & Swensen, Isaac D. & Waddell, Glen R., 2022. "Effects of violent media content: Evidence from the rise of the UFC," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Jaeger, David A. & Joyce, Theodore J. & Kaestner, Robert, 2019. "Tweet Sixteen and Pregnant: Missing Links in the Causal Chain from Reality TV to Fertility. A replication study of Kearney & Levine (American Economic Review, 2015)," International Journal for Re-Views in Empirical Economics (IREE), ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 3(2019-1), pages 1-16.
    3. Jason M. Lindo & Isaac D. Swensen & Glen R. Waddell, 2020. "Persistent Effects of Violent Media Content," NBER Working Papers 27240, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Fletcher, Jason M. & Polos, Jessica, 2017. "Nonmarital and Teen Fertility," IZA Discussion Papers 10833, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    teen childbearing; media;

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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