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Budget Constraints and Son Preference in Educational Investment in Taiwan

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  • Yi-Chun Chang
  • Jui-Chung Allen Li

Abstract

This study examines the educational effects of sibship sex composition using data from the 2002 and 2007 Taiwan Social Change Survey. The results show that men with older siblings, especially older sisters, have higher educational attainment, while women with both younger sisters and younger brothers have lower educational attainment. Moreover, the positive effect of having an additional older sibling on men's educational attainment only exists in large families but not small families. It interprets the findings as consistent with an indirect parental effect of intra-family transfer of resources, reflecting parents' son preference in educational investment in their offspring; and that such a son preference is only present when the family is under budget constraints. Implications of these findings for trends in declining fertility and diminishing gender gap in educational attainment are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi-Chun Chang & Jui-Chung Allen Li, 2012. "Budget Constraints and Son Preference in Educational Investment in Taiwan," Working Papers WR-953, RAND Corporation.
    • Handle: RePEc:ran:wpaper:wr-953
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Judith Blake, 1981. "Family size and the quality of children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 18(4), pages 421-442, November.
    4. William L. Parish & Robert J. Willis, 1993. "Daughters, Education, and Family Budgets Taiwan Experiences," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 28(4), pages 863-898.
    5. Robert Kaestner, 1997. "Are Brothers Really Better? Sibling Sex Composition and Educational Achievement Revisited," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 32(2), pages 250-284.
    6. Yi-Chuan Chang & Jui-Chung Allen Li, 2011. "Trends and Educational Differentials in Marriage Formation Among Taiwanese Women," Working Papers WR-891, RAND Corporation.
    7. Robert M. Hauser & Hsiang-Hui Daphne Kuo, 1998. "Does the Gender Composition of Sibships Affect Women's Educational Attainment?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 33(3), pages 644-657.
    8. Kristin F. Butcher & Anne Case, 1994. "The Effect of Sibling Sex Composition on Women's Education and Earnings," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(3), pages 531-563.
    9. Yi-Chuan Chang & Jui-Chung Allen Li, 2011. "Trends and Educational Differentials in Marriage Formation Among Taiwanese Women," Working Papers 891, RAND Corporation.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Qihui, 2017. "Relaxed population policy, family size and parental investments in children’s education in rural Northwestern China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 39-50.

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