Does Birth Spacing Affect Personality?

Bart Golsteyn () and Cécile A. J. Magnée ()
Additional contact information
Cécile A. J. Magnée: CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis

No 10563, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper studies the causal effect of birth spacing (i.e., the age difference between siblings) on personality traits. We use longitudinal data from a large British cohort which has been followed from birth until age 42. Following earlier studies, we employ miscarriages between the first and second child as an instrument for birth spacing. The results show that a larger age gap between siblings negatively affects personality traits of the youngest child in two-child households. This result sheds a first light on the causal effects of birth spacing on personality traits.

Keywords: birth spacing; family structure; personality traits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J12 J13 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2017-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe and nep-dem
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Psychology, 2017, 60, 92-108

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Related works:
Journal Article: Does birth spacing affect personality? (2017)
Working Paper: Does Birth Spacing Affect Personality? (2017)
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