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The Effect of Family Size on Education: New Evidence from China's One Child Policy

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  • Argys, Laura M.

    (University of Colorado Denver)

  • Averett, Susan L.

    (Lafayette College)

Abstract

Social scientists theorize that the inverse relationship between socio-economic status and family size represents a trade-off between the quality and quantity of children. Evaluating this hypothesis empirically requires addressing the simultaneity of the quality and quantity decisions. Researchers have used the unanticipated birth of twins as exogenous variation in family size or the sex composition of the first two children as an instrument for family size with mixed results. We exploit a different source of exogenous variation in family size. The One Child Policy (OCP) in China dramatically reduced Chinese fertility and we examine how the OCP has affected the educational attainment of Chinese migrants to the U.S. Using data from the American Community Survey (2009-2012) and a difference-in-differences strategy our results support the quality-quantity tradeoff theory. We find that education increased more for Chinese migrants born after the OCP than their counterparts from other East Asian countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Argys, Laura M. & Averett, Susan L., 2015. "The Effect of Family Size on Education: New Evidence from China's One Child Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 9196, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9196
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiong, Feng & Zang, Leizhen & Zhou, Ling & Liu, Fei, 2020. "The effect of number of siblings and birth order on educational attainment: Empirical Evidence from Chinese General Social Survey," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Ea Hoppe Blaabæk & Mads Meier Jæger & Joseph Molitoris, 2020. "Family Size and Educational Attainment: Cousins, Contexts, and Compensation," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 575-600, July.
    3. Chu, Yihe & Li, Yujia & Che, Ming, 2024. "Population aging and the dynamics of the skill income gap: An analysis of a multiple mediation effect," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    4. Aeggarchat Sirisankanan, 2022. "The impact of family size on child investment in Thailand: Revisiting with an alternative approach," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 411-431, December.
    5. Aeggarchat Sirisankanan, 2020. "Credit constraints and the trade‐off between family size and children's investment in Thailand," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 34(2), pages 133-151, November.
    6. Lin, Siyuan & Argys, Laura M. & Averett, Susan L., 2023. "Exposure to the One-Child Policy and Fertility among Chinese Immigrants to the US," IZA Discussion Papers 16329, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Lu, Di, 2018. "China’s Selective Two-Child Policy and Its Impact on the Marriage Market," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181586, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Vu, Linh Hoang & Tran, Tuyen Quang, 2021. "Sibship composition, birth order and education: Evidence from Vietnam," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    9. Kaat Van Hoyweghen & Janne Bemelmans & Hendrik Feyaerts & Goedele Van den Broeck & Miet Maertens, 2023. "Small Family, Happy Family? Fertility Preferences and the Quantity–Quality Trade-Off in Sub-Saharan Africa," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(6), pages 1-35, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    family size; quality-quantity tradeoff; migration; education; One Child Policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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