Mothers-in-Law and Son Preference in India

Abstract

In India, the mothers-in-law are all powerful. At least they are often portrayed as such in Indian popular culture. Similarly, in the socio-economic literature, the influence of the Indian mothers-in-law is often taken for granted. However, most of the empirical evidence relies on qualitative data or on small samples. Looking at stated son preference and using the nationally representative NFHS-3 dataset, we show that mothers-in-law have an influence on their daughter-in-law, everything else constant. This influence comes mostly from socialization rather than from coercion and selection in the marriage market.