Testing for Utility Interdependence in Marriage: Evidence from Panel Data

Nattavudh Powdthavee

Labor and Demography from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This paper is the first of its kind to study utility interdependence in marriage using information on subjective well-being of a large sample of people living in the UK over the period 1991-2001. Using “residual” self-rated health to provide instrument for spouse’s well-being and allowing controls on individual fixed effects, we find strong evidence of altruism represented by interdependent relationships in the reported well-being found only among spouses, and not by partners in cohabiting union. Panel data also show that the well-being impact resulting from “caring” can be used to predict future income, unemployment, and marital status for the individuals.

Keywords: happiness; altruism; marriage; interdependent utility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D64 J12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2004-03-31, Revised 2004-04-01
Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 43
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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https://econwpa.ub.uni-muenchen.de/econ-wp/lab/papers/0403/0403037.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Testing for Utility Interdependence in Marriage: Evidence from Panel Data (2004)
Working Paper: TESTING FOR UTILITY INTERDEPENDENCE IN MARRIAGE: EVIDENCE FROM PANEL DATA (2004)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wpa:wuwpla:0403037

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