Effects Of Sex Composition Research Articles

Changing Educational Effects of Sibship Sex Composition in Taiwan

In this study, we examine the educational effects of sibship sex composition using data from the 2002 and 2007 waves of the Taiwan Social Change Survey (N = 11,608). The results show that men with older siblings, especially older sisters, have higher educational attainment, while women with younger siblings have lower educational attainment. Moreover, the positive effect of having an additional older sibling on educational attainment is only present among older cohorts and larger families, but not younger cohorts or smaller families. These results imply that parental son preference in educational investment among Taiwanese parents will likely disappear once social norms no longer support son preference, especially in the current low fertility context. Hence, we anticipate that the gender gap in educational attainment will continue to diminish.

Effects of Lab Group Sex Composition on Physics Learning

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the gender composition of university physics laboratory groups on student self-efficacy and quiz performance. Students from a Chinese university was chosen and subdivided into two groups, which were assigned either same-sex or coed laboratory teams while executing identical laboratory activities and instruction. Assessments were carried out prior to instruction and at the end of one semester. Students’ self-efficacy and scores on laboratory quizzes were assessed. In this study, no statistically significant differences for the male students’ self-efficacy gain and average laboratory quiz scores in the two types of team organization were found. In contrast, the female students’ self-efficacy gain and lab quiz mean scores from same-sex teams were higher than ones from coed teams. So it delivered some messages to physics instructors and physics education researchers: Single-sex lab team education is beneficial for female students.

Double Take: The Effect of Sibling Sex Composition on Women's Schooling, Earnings, and Labor Supply

Understanding the role of the family in the production of human capital is a salient question in economics. Using a twin research design that exploits exogenous gender variation in dizygotic twins, this paper credibly identifies the effect of sibling sex composition on schooling, earnings, and labor supply. Women born with a male co-twin have higher earnings, schooling, and labor force participation than women born with a female co-twin. Men born with a female co-twin, on the other hand, have outcomes that are statistically indistinguishable from zero. Family attributes provide a limited explanation of the sex composition effect.

Effects of sex composition on group processes in alcohol prevention groups for teens.

Although most alcohol and other drug prevention programs for adolescents are offered in group settings, little is known about the possible effects of sex composition on group processes and mechanisms of change. Using the Group Actor-Partner Interdependence Model framework, we examined how the sex constellation of adolescent prevention group members influenced youth satisfaction, engagement, and endorsement of healthy behavior during group. Participants in Project Options (N = 379; 61.8% girls; Mage = 16.1; SD = 1.4), a voluntary school-based alcohol prevention program, completed measures of satisfaction at each prevention session and observers rated engagement and change talk for each group. When analyses were oriented toward girls, their personal satisfaction, group-rated satisfaction, and group-level engagement were positively related to having more girls in the group. Similarly, in boys, personal satisfaction, satisfaction of the group as a whole, and engagement in groups improved when groups were composed of more girls. Statements supportive of healthy alcohol/drug-related decision making were unrelated to group composition. The findings suggest that the composition of girls and boys in groups has differential effects on some group processes. This avenue of research has merit for understanding the mechanisms associated with satisfaction and engagement in adolescent substance use prevention programs.

Brothers are Better: The Effect of Sibling Sex Composition on Women's Schooling, Health, Earnings, and Labor Supply

Using a twin research design that exploits exogenous gender variation in dizygotic twins, this paper credibly identifies the effect of sibling sex composition on schooling, earnings, health, and labor supply. Women born with a male co-twin have higher earnings, schooling, labor force participation, and better health than women born with a female co-twin. Men born with a female co-twin, on the other hand, have higher rates of ever smoking but differences on all other outcomes are statistically indistinguishable from zero. Family characteristics provide a limited explanation of the sibling sex composition effect.

Sex Composition Disrupts the Accuracy of Women’s Metaperceptions of Partners

The effects of sex composition of dyads and surrounding others in groups on the accuracy in women’s expected evaluations (metaperceptions) were investigated using the Group Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (GAPIM). The dataset comprised 26 groups of four to six previously unacquainted participants who completed an unstructured social interaction followed by round-robin evaluations and metaperceptions on evaluative adjectives. Women expected less positive evaluations from opposite-sex partners, and this did not vary by the sex composition of surrounding others. However, women were less accurate in predictions of how they were evaluated by male partners (compared with female partners) if women were the majority in the surrounding group. Also, women formed less accurate metaperceptions of female partners when women were the minority, rather than the majority in the surrounding context. Implications for theory development in intergroup relations and contributions of the GAPIM to diversity research are discussed.

Sibling sex composition, intrahousehold resource allocation, and educational attainment in China

Studies have found that the decline of the fertility rate, which reduces the number of siblings, is an important factor in narrowing the gender gap in education. However, given the number of children, sex composition of siblings also affects individual educational attainment. Few relevant studies on this issue are available in China. This study investigates the effects of sibling sex composition on intrahousehold resource allocation and individual educational attainment in the patriarchal cultural context of China. Under the influence of Chinese traditional culture and economic rationality, parents’ preference for sons leads to biased allocation of resources within the family, and the cost difference between raising boys and girls reinforces such a biased distribution. Analysis based on a nationally representative dataset confirms the hypothesis of this study. It finds that having brother(s) is detrimental to educational attainment and that the higher the proportion of girls in sibship, the more schooling one attains. This sibling sex composition effect is gender asymmetric and also heterogenous across birth cohorts.

Trends in occupational gender segregation in India

This paper analyses the trends in occupational segregation by gender in the Indian labour market separately for the rural and urban sectors. The paper is based on four quinquennial rounds of nationally representative household surveys on employment and unemployment conducted by an arm of the Government of India covering the period from 1987–1988 to 2004–2005. The level of segregation is measured using the dissimilarity, Gini and square root indices. Our findings indicate that the occupational segregation in India increased during this period and the level of segregation is higher in the urban sector than that in the rural. Using a decomposition analysis, we find that the increase in the segregation can be attributed to changes in both occupation-mix and sex-composition effects.

Empirical analysis of the changing pattern of sex segregation of occupation in Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the changing pattern and direction of sex segregation of occupation as a measure of unbalanced distribution of occupation by sex in Ghana between 1960 and 2010, identify the sources of the changes and show whether female-male earnings difference has changed in line with the changes in occupational segregation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies two segregation indices to data from population censuses and household surveys in the empirical analysis Findings – The outcome of the segregation measure indicates a generally modest to high but declining occupational sex segregation in Ghana over a period of five decades. Sex composition and occupational mix effects are found to be the underlying drivers of the declining segregation with the former coming up strongly during the initial 40 years. This has, however, not translated into narrowing female-male earnings gap. Practical implications – The paper recommends measures towards economic transformation for a change in occupational structure backed by implementation of education policy to enhance female access to male-dominated science and engineering programmes and employment in high-skill occupations. Originality/value – The strength of the paper is seen from its originality as it is the first attempt to assess changing pattern of occupational segregation over a long period of five decades with consistent and comparable data sources.

Gender-stereotyping and cognitive sex differences in mixed- and same-sex groups.

Sex differences in specific cognitive abilities are well documented, but the biological, psychological, and sociocultural interactions that may underlie these differences are largely unknown. We examined within a biopsychosocial approach how gender stereotypes affect cognitive sex differences when adult participants were tested in mixed- or same-sex groups. A total of 136 participants (70 women) were allocated to either mixed- or same-sex groups and completed a battery of sex-sensitive cognitive tests (i.e., mental rotation, verbal fluency, perceptual speed) after gender stereotypes or gender-neutral stereotypes (control) were activated. To study the potential role of testosterone as a mediator for group sex composition and stereotype boost/threat effects, saliva samples were taken before the stereotype manipulation and after cognitive testing. The results showed the typical male and female advantages in mental rotation and verbal fluency, respectively. In general, men and women who were tested in mixed-sex groups and whose gender stereotypes had not been activated performed best. Moreover, a stereotype threat effect emerged in verbal fluency with reduced performance in gender stereotyped men but not women. Testosterone levels did not mediate the effects of group sex composition and stereotype threat nor did we find any relationship between testosterone and cognitive performance in men and women. Taken together, the findings suggest that an interaction of gender stereotyping and group sex composition affects the performance of men and women in sex-sensitive cognitive tasks. Mixed-sex settings can, in fact, increase cognitive performance as long as gender-stereotyping is prevented.

Intergroup Competition as a Double-Edged Sword: How Sex Composition Regulates the Effects of Competition on Group Creativity

Building on social role theory, we extend a contingency perspective on intergroup competition proposing that having groups compete against one another is stimulating to the creativity of groups composed largely or exclusively of men but detrimental to the creativity of groups composed largely or exclusively of women. We tested this idea in two separate studies: a laboratory experiment (Study 1) and a field study (Study 2). Study 1 showed that competition had the expected positive effects on the creativity of groups composed mostly or exclusively of men and produced the predicted negative effects on the creativity of groups composed of women, even though the latter effects emerged at the high end of the competition spectrum and for sex-homogeneous groups only. Results of Study 1 also revealed that within-group collaboration mediated the joint effects of competition and sex composition on group creativity. Study 2 replicated the results of Study 1 in a field setting involving research and development teams. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory and practice.

Brothers and sisters are stabbing each other in the back: long-term effects of sex of siblings on barn swallow offspring

Prenatal and early postnatal conditions can prime developmental trajectories, with short- as well as major long-term effects on phenotype. Variance in perinatal conditions may be caused by many factors, including number of siblings of either sex, which is expected to influence individual phenotype for two complementary reasons. First, male and female offspring can differ in susceptibility to extrinsic conditions. Second, the effect that an individual has on its siblings can differ according to their sex. Yet, few studies of vertebrates and only one of birds have addressed the long-term consequences of family sex composition on offspring of either sex. We analysed the effect of brood sex composition on adult phenotype and breeding performance in the barn swallow, Hirundo rustica . Male offspring growing with more sisters had shorter wing length, an aerodynamically important trait, and tail length, a condition-dependent, sexually selected trait. In addition, tail length of females decreased with increasing brood size but more steeply so when they grew with more female siblings. Body size of females also declined with increasing brood size. Notably, breeding output of females declined with an increasing proportion of male siblings and also with increasing brood size. This study thus suggests that social environment has major consequences for phenotype and breeding performance in adulthood and that variation in brood sex composition has long-term effects which depend on the sex of the individual as well as on the specific trait considered. Hence, optimal parental sex allocation decisions depend not simply on additive fitness costs and benefits of producing males or females, but also on the long-term effects that sons and daughters exert on each other. • The conditions that individuals experience soon after birth have long-lasting effects. • Siblings of either sex can differently affect performance of males and females. • We analyse the effect of sibling sex on phenotype and breeding of barn swallows. • Male and female offspring had different, sex-specific effects on opposite-sex siblings. • Breeding success of females declined with an increasing proportion of male siblings.

The effect of family sex composition on fertility desires and family planning behaviors in urban Uttar Pradesh, India

BackgroundA cultural preference for sons has been well documented in India, resulting in skewed sex ratios, especially exhibited in northwest India. Previous research has shown that family sex composition is associated with family planning (FP) use and couples’ desire for more children. This study examines family sex composition and fertility and FP behaviors in urban Uttar Pradesh, India; little work has examined these issues in urban settings where family sizes are smaller and FP use is common.MethodsData for this analysis comes from a 2010 representative survey of married, non-pregnant fecund women aged 15–49 from six cities in Uttar Pradesh, India. Multivariate analyses are used to examine the association between family sex composition and fertility desires and FP use.ResultsThe multivariate results indicate that family sex composition is associated with fertility desires and FP use. Women without living children and without at least one child of each sex are significantly less likely to want no more children and women with both sons and daughters but more sons are significantly more likely to want no more children as compared to women that have both sons and daughters but more daughters. Women with no living children and women with daughters but no sons are less likely to be modern FP users than nonusers whereas women with both sons and daughters but more sons are more likely to be modern FP users than nonusers as compared to women with both sons and daughters but more daughters.ConclusionsThese findings confirm that family sex composition affects fertility behavior and also reveals that preference for sons persists in urban Uttar Pradesh. These results underscore the importance of programs and policies that work to enhance the value of girl children.

The effect of family sex composition on fertility desires and family planning behaviors in urban Uttar Pradesh, India

The effect of family sex composition on fertility desires and family planning behaviors in urban Uttar Pradesh, India

The Sociocultural Context of Family Size Preference, Ideal Sex Composition, and Induced Abortion in India: Findings From India's National Family Health Surveys

In this study, the author examined the effect of family size preference and sex composition of living children as determinants of induced abortion among women in India by analyzing 90,303 ever-married women aged 15–49, included in India's second National Family Health Survey, conducted in 1998–99. Multivariate logistic regression methods were used to examine the association between induced abortion and possible determinants. The results indicated that a woman's desire to limit family size with preferred sex composition of children, coupled with her autonomy and the sociocultural context, largely determines her experience of induced abortion in India.

Budget Constraints and Son Preference in Educational Investment in Taiwan

This study examines the educational effects of sibship sex composition using data from the 2002 and 2007 Taiwan Social Change Survey. The results show that men with older siblings, especially older sisters, have higher educational attainment, while women with both younger sisters and younger brothers have lower educational attainment. Moreover, the positive effect of having an additional older sibling on men’s educational attainment only exists in large families but not small families. It interprets the findings as consistent with an indirect parental effect of intra-family transfer of resources, reflecting parents’ son preference in educational investment in their offspring; and that such a son preference is only present when the family is under budget constraints. Implications of these findings for trends in declining fertility and diminishing gender gap in educational attainment are discussed.

The association between baroreflex sensitivity and blood pressure in children

Low baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and heart rate variability (HRV) are associated with the pathogenesis of adult hypertension. However, limited information exists about the negative consequences of elevated childhood blood pressure (BP) and autonomic regulation. Additionally, there are developmental changes in autonomic regulation throughout puberty, yet studies have not appropriately accounted for this. The objective of this study was to investigate BRS and HRV in children with 2 different BP profiles, while controlling for the effects of maturation, age, sex, and body composition. A sample of 11- to 14-year-old participants were divided into 2 BP groups: high BP (HBP; ≥95th percentile; n = 21) and normal BP (NBP; <90th percentile; n = 85). Automated BP was measured at 2 time points. In lab-based testing, 5 min of beat-to-beat BP (Finapres) and R-R interval (RRI) were recorded (standard electrocardiogram) after 15 min of supine rest. Spectral indices were computed using fast Fourier transform, and transfer function analysis was used to compute BRS. High frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) power spectral areas were set to 0.15-0.4 Hz and 0.04-0.15 Hz, respectively, and BRS was determined for the LF area. After adjustment for age, sex, maturation, and body composition, BRS (p = 0.04), LF (p = 0.008), and HF (p = 0.01) RRI variability, and RRI total power (p = 0.005) were lower in the HBP than in the NBP participants. As well, the LF/HF systolic BP variability ratio was higher in the HBP than in the NBP group (p = 0.03). Despite their young age, these children with high, yet not clinically hypertensive BP, display reduced autonomic regulation.

Effects of panel sex composition on the physiological stress responses to psychosocial stress in healthy young men and women

Men and women differ in regard to psychosocial stress responses. Biological and contextual factors are known to mediate these differences; however, few studies investigated their interaction. In the present study, we examined contributions of both contextual and biological factors to the stress response of young healthy adults. Men and women were exposed to a modified version of Trier Social Stress Test. The participants gave a speech in front of a panel of judges, composed of either male or female panelists. Both men, and women presented a cortisol increase only when exposed to opposite sex panelists. Interestingly, this effect was only observed in women in their follicular phase. This finding showed that the induction of a psychosocial stress response does not strictly rely on direct social evaluation, but also depends on the sex composition of the panel. Implications for future studies are discussed.

Litter sex composition affects life‐history traits in yellow‐bellied marmots

1. The presence of siblings might have long-lasting fitness consequences because they influence the early environment in which an animal develops. Several studies under laboratory conditions have shown long-lasting consequences from the presence of male siblings in utero on morphology and life-history traits. However, in wild animals, such effects of litter sex composition are unexplored. 2. We capitalized on a long-term study of individually marked yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) and documented the effects of weaned litter sex composition and anogenital distance on several life-history and fitness traits. 3. First, we demonstrated that the number of males in a litter influenced anogenital distance. Then, we found that masculinized females, those with larger anogenital distances, were less likely to survive their first hibernation, were more likely to disperse and were less likely to become pregnant and wean young. Males from male-biased litters had lower growth rates, but we failed to detect longer-term consequences. 4. Taken together, our results show profound sex-dependent effects of litter sex composition, probably due to differential prenatal exposure to androgens, in free-living animals. We conclude that masculinization might constitute an alternative mechanism explaining variation in different demographic traits. This finding highlights the importance of studying these maternal effects, and they enhance our concern over the widespread use of endocrine disrupting compounds.

Do brothers affect their sisters’ chances to graduate? An analysis of sibling sex composition effects on graduation from a university or a Fachhochschule in Germany

In a recent paper on gender inequality in higher education Buchman and DiPrete (2006) assume that the decrease in the gender gap in college completion in the US can partly be explained by changes in the allocation of familial resources in favour of women. However, they do not test this hypothesis empirically. In this paper I examine the effects of sibling sex composition on the graduation of women in more detail by analysing data from the German Life History Study. I assume that resources are the key issue to explaining the effects of sibling configuration on educational attainment. Tertiary education is a good case for testing sex composition effects due to the unequal distribution of resources between and within families, because the direct costs and opportunity costs of higher education are relatively high compared to those of earlier educational decisions. Accordingly, I expect that working class daughters are most likely to be disadvantaged if they are raised with brothers. The empirical results show that in fact, not the presence of a brother as such hinders educational attainment of sisters, but older brothers have a negative influence on their sisters chances of graduation. In accordance to the hypothesis, this effect is stronger for university graduation than for graduation at Fachhochschule. For social class differences in sibling effects it turns out that working class daughters are particularly less likely to graduate compared to service class daughters if there are older brothers in the family.