Television Role Models and Fertility: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Peter Bönisch and Walter Hyll

No 752, SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research from DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP)

Abstract: In this paper we study the effect of television exposure on fertility. We exploit a natural experiment that took place in Germany after WWII. For topographical reasons, Western TV programs, which promoted one/no child families, could not be received in certain parts of East Germany. Using an IV approach, we find robust evidence that watching West German TV results in lower fertility. This conclusion is robust to alternative model specifications and data sets. Our results imply that individual fertility decisions are affected by role models or information about other ways of life promoted by media.

Keywords: Natural experiment; TV consumption; Fertility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C26 D12 J13 L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 p.
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cul and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp752

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