Sibling gender composition’s effect on education: evidence from China

Xiaoyan Lei, Yan Shen, James Smith and Guangsu Zhou
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Xiaoyan Lei: Peking University
Yan Shen: Peking University
Guangsu Zhou: Nankai University

Journal of Population Economics, 2017, vol. 30, issue 2, No 6, 569-590

Abstract: Abstract We use a population survey of the Chinese adult population—2010 Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) modeled after the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. We find that being the oldest child gives an education benefit to male and not female children who are often assigned supervisory roles for younger siblings. Most importantly, an increase in the fraction of female siblings leads to a significant increase in education of Chinese men and to a lesser extent Chinese women. This effect is concentrated among those with rural Hukou. In China, male children absorbed more education resources so that in a credit constrained family, increases in fraction of siblings who are sisters frees up resources for educating boys. This is less so for girls since their education was lower and additional resources would not be used for them.

Keywords: Education; Siblings; China; Gender composition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 I25 J16 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-016-0614-z

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