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Relationship Stability: Evidence from Labor and Marriage Markets

Author

Listed:
  • Iris Kesternich

    (KU Leuven and University of Hamburg)

  • Bettina Siflinger

    (Tilburg University)

  • James P. Smith

    (Rose Li and Associates)

  • Franziska Valder

    (University of Copenhagen, Center of Economic Behavior and Inequality)

Abstract

Based on a sample of elderly individuals from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, we investigate the relationship between job and marital stability over the life cycle. We argue that an unobserved, time-varying social skill affects stability in both markets. Using a grouped fixed-effects estimator, we show that unobserved relationship stability in both markets is significantly and positively associated. Instability in both markets is associated with lower levels of trust and conscientiousness and higher levels of extraversion and neuroticism. The absence of the father during childhood perpetuates higher instability later in life. Higher instability is also costly since it is associated with lower levels of late-life well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Iris Kesternich & Bettina Siflinger & James P. Smith & Franziska Valder, 2022. "Relationship Stability: Evidence from Labor and Marriage Markets," CEBI working paper series 22-20, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    • Handle: RePEc:kud:kucebi:2220
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Relationship Stability; Marriage dissolution; Job turnover; Social Skills; Non-Cognitive Skills; Grouped Fixed-Effect Estimator; Survey of Health; Ageing and Retirement in Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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