Beauty, Polygyny, and Fertility: Theory and Evidence

Paul Cahu (p.cahu@eib.org), Falilou Fall and Roland Pongou
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Paul Cahu: European Investment Bank

Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne from Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne

Abstract: We propose a simple model of a mating economy in both monogamous and polygynous cultures, and derive implications for how polygyny affects individual and aggregate fertility. We find that an attractive woman is more likely to find a high-status husband. However, when polygyny is allowed, high-status husbands naturally attract other women; this implies that female beauty increases the likelihood of entering into a polygynous relationship. A woman in a polygynous relationship produces fewer children than a woman in a monogamous relationship as long as the preference for reproduction relative to consumption is not too strong. However, the societal practice of polygyny increases aggregate fertility through two distinct channels: (1) by increasing the number of marriages; (2) by triggering fertility contagion: a woman, whether involved in a monogamous or polygynous relationship, produces more children as polygyny becomes more prevalent in her neighborhood. We empirically validate each of the model's key predictions

Keywords: Mating Economy; monogamy; polygyny; beauty; status; fertility; contagion; networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 C78 J12 J13 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 51 pages
Date: 2014-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gro
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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ftp://mse.univ-paris1.fr/pub/mse/CES2014/14078.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Beauty, Polygyny and Fertility: Theory and Evidence (2014)
Working Paper: Beauty, Polygyny and Fertility: Theory and Evidence (2014)
Working Paper: Beauty, Polygyny, and Fertility: Theory and Evidence (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mse:cesdoc:14078

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