Effect Of Family Size Research Articles

“Sex in Marriage Is a Divine Gift”? Evidence on the Quantity-Quality Trade-off from the Manila Contraceptive Ban

We analyze the tradeoff between child quantity and quality in developing countries by estimating the effect of family size on child education in urban Philippines. To isolate exogenous changes in family size, we exploit a policy shock: in the late 1990s, the mayor of Manila enacted a municipal ban on modern contraceptives. Since other comparable cities in the Manila metropolitan area were not affected by the ban, this allows us to implement a difference-in-difference estimation of the effect of family size. We also exploit the fact that older mothers were less likely to become pregnant during the ban. Our results indicate that the contraceptive ban led to a significant increase in family size. They also provide evidence of a quality-quantity tradeoff: increased family size led to a sizable decrease in school performance.

Can resource dilution explain differences in height by birth order and family size? A study of 389,287 male recruits in twentieth-century Netherlands

‘Resource dilution’ has been invoked as a possible mechanism to explain the inverse relation between sibship size and sibling heights in European populations (Öberg, 2015). Alternative explanations include confounding of the relation by other measured or unmeasured family characteristics including socio-economic position or birth order. It is difficult to quantify the contribution of any factor in isolation. To examine the question, we accessed data from the national birth cohort of 389,287 Dutch conscripts born in 1944–1947 and examined for military service at age 18. The records include all men of Dutch nationality born between January 1, 1944 and December 31, 1947 examined for military service in the Netherlands. The birth cohorts provide a well-defined study population to reliably assess the impact of family size and birth order on adult height, accounting for potential confounders. The cohorts include a large number of high-parity families, provide reliable information on both family size and birth order, and differentiate between all birth orders. The military examinations provide reliable information on height for all study subjects and uniform measurements at age 18. We show that recruits from larger families are shorter than recruits from smaller families; that birth order effects are small in relation to family size effects; and that birth order and family size effects are comparable in recruits from higher to lower socio-economic backgrounds. Recruits from higher backgrounds are significantly taller however. Our findings are compatible with a ’resource dilution’ hypothesis, but our data provide no information on any specific differences in the childhood environment in terms of nutrition, education, or other family behaviours could explain the observed height differences at age 18. Additional studies will be needed to identify what differences in specific family behaviours could lead to changes in height development.

Family size, birth order, and tests of the quantity–quality model

Recent empirical studies challenge the quantity–quality (Q–Q) trade-off of children modeled by Becker and Lewis. In the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates, the effect of family size on child outcomes is frequently estimated with birth order controls. In a group of instrumental variable (IV) estimates, the family size effect is estimated only for low-parity children. We show that existing studies using the above two specifications do not identify the family size effect on average child quality and do not contradict the Becker–Lewis Q–Q theory.

For some mothers more than others

We estimate the effect of family size on female labour supply using data from Poland and instrumenting for family size with twinning at first and second birth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to causally address this relationship in a post-communist country. We identify the average causal effect of an additional child on mother's employment to be −7.0 pp, but we do not find significant effects of additional children on female employment among families with two or more children. Furthermore, we identify a positive bias of OLS in the estimates among highly educated mothers and those from younger cohorts.

Effects of Family Size of English Words on Word Processing by L1, L2, and Bilinguals

This study investigated the family size effect on English word processing via visual lexical decision task with three different groups of speakers,...

Family Size, Sibling Rivalry and Migration: Evidence from Mexico

This paper examines the effects of family size and demographic structure on offspring’s international migration. We use rich survey data from Mexico to estimate the impact of sibship size, birth order and sibling composition on teenagers’ and Young adults’ migration outcomes. We find little evidence that high fertility drives migration. The positive correlation between sibship size and migration disappears when endogeneity of family size is addressed using biological fertility miscarriages) and infertility shocks. Yet, the chances to migrate are not equally distributed across children within the family. Older siblings, especially firstborn males, are more likely to migrate, while having more sisters than brothers may increase the chances of migration, particularly among girls.

Effects Of Family Size, Status And Taste On The Type Of Domestic Fuel Utilization In Kano Metropolis, Kano State; Nigeria

The paper explores the effect of family size, status and taste on the adoption of domestic fuel energy utilization in the metropolitan Kano. As a typical Islamic culture; polygamy is widely accepted among the community irrespective of economic status (rich and poor), political class (leaders and followers) as well as religious affiliation (sectarian and secular). The culture accelerates conpetitiion between co-wives for more children, sex preferences and marrieg security which consequently lead to large family size. Reasons and major causes are envisaged from which recommendations were tendered in order to reduce/cushione the impact on the environment. Both quantitative and qualitative data are used as well simple random sampling technique is adopted in handling the households for administration of questionnaire and interviews in the area. Interstingly, the study discovered that both monogamous and polygamous families have higher fertility and in average each family consist of eight children excluding the parents. The volume of the food for the extended family system is high hence need bigger source of energy to save time and monetary cost. Some held cultural taboos that food cooked by fuelwood is better than on cooker gas. Other reasons such as risk of fire outbreak scare some household from gas cooker. To save our ecosystem, Kerozine stoves, solar and electric cookers should be made available, affordable and accessable to all.

Testing the quantity-quality model of fertility: Estimation using unrestricted family size models

We examine the relationship between child quantity and quality. Motivated by the theoretical ambiguity regarding the sign of the marginal effects of additional siblings on children's outcomes, our empirical model allows for an unrestricted relationship between family size and child outcomes. We find that the conclusion in Black, Devereux, and Salvanes (2005) of no family size effect does not hold after relaxing their linear specification in family size. We find nonzero effects of family size in ordinary least squares estimation with controls for confounding characteristics like birth order and in instrumental variables estimation instrumenting family size with twin births. Estimation using a unrestricted specification for the quality–quantity relationship yields substantial family size effects. This finding suggests that social policies that provide incentives for fertility should account for spillover effects on existing children. Quantity–quality model of fertility family size birth order nonlinearity instrumental variables C26 C31 J13

Reconsidering the Effect of Family Size on Labour Supply: the Twin Problems of The Twin Birth Instrument

SummaryWe consider two econometric problems when investigating the effect of family size on labour market outcomes using the popular twin birth instrument. The first is the potential for omitted variable bias caused by the fact that fertility treatments are linked to twin births and are typically unobserved. We present estimates that are corrected for this bias and find that it is comparatively small. Second, we show that the effects of twin-birth-induced variation in family size, as well as characteristics of the compliers, varies substantially with time passed since birth, which has consequences for the interpretation of estimates across samples and time.

Estimation of Family Size Effects by Age-group in Household Food Consumption

Estimation of Family Size Effects by Age-group in Household Food Consumption

The Need and Use the Rural ICT Services in Iranian Rural Areas

Nowadays, Internet access and use of information resources in all human societies are experiencing a rising trend, and different communities are used each with multiple infrastructures due to the benefits of ICT. The present study was based on applied research. In this research, a hybrid approach involving quantitative methods (survey) and qualitative (observation, interviews) was used. Statistical population of this study consists of two parts, the first part responsible for rural ICT offices, with a population of 125 people using Cochran Formula 80 subjects were selected as first sample, and the second part of the rural of first sample villages with a population of 84,836 people using Cochran formula and randomized-comparative method were studied as second sample. The questionnaire was subjected to reliability testing by using data collection in the pilot study with Cronbach’s Alpha value 0.73 to 0.95 for all variables. SPSS statistical software was used to analysis the data. The results of the study indicate that the overall performance of the agencies providing services to the rural was lower-middle in the offices in banking services has received first place, and the final ranking in the provision of health services. The results of study showed that rural employment, level education and family size effect on the rate of rural ICT offices.

The Effect of Birth Order on Occupational Choice

Research suggests that birth order has a profound influence on personality development, but there has been little research investigating the effect of birth order on a person’s occupational choice. A number of psychologists, including Frank Sulloway and Reid Claxton, argue that first-borns are more likely to become managers because their order in the family trains them in managerial and leadership skills. In contrast, several economists, such as Gary Becker, argue that first-borns are often economically successful because they receive more resources from their parents than other children. This occurs both because they tend to have fewer siblings and because they receive their parents’ unshared attention before their younger siblings are born. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) of 1979, we investigate which of these models best accords with the data. We find that first-borns are indeed more likely to select managerial positions than later-borns, but that this effect is due to first-borns having, on average, fewer siblings than others, not to being first-born per se. Further, we find the effect of family size is strongest among lower-income families, lending support to Becker’s hypothesis.

Effects of Family Size for Three-Character Japanese Kanji Compounds in a Lexical Decision Task

Effects of Family Size for Three-Character Japanese Kanji Compounds in a Lexical Decision Task

Word frequency and morphological family size effects on the accuracy and speed of lexical access in school‐aged bilingual students

This study investigated whether school‐aged bilingual students demonstrate word frequency and morphological family size (MFS) effects for written L2 words, and if so, the extent to which the effects are present for bilingual students in different grades. The study revealed both word frequency and MFS effects for the bilingual students in relation to the accuracy of their responses. The bilingual students were less accurate in response to mid and low‐frequency words and words with a very small morphological family compared to the monolingual students. Despite that, they demonstrated similar speed of access to the written L2 words in different frequency ranges and with different MFSs. The findings were discussed in terms of the strength of connections between the form and meaning of words.

Changes in atopy prevalence and sibship effect in rural population at all ages.

We examined the associations of family size and birth order with atopy prevalence in rural Poland at two time periods. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in the same villages and a small town of lower Silesia at an interval of 9 years. In 2003, 1700 (88% of eligible individuals), and in 2012, 1730 (86%) inhabitants aged 5 years or more completed a questionnaire and had a skin prick test for atopy. There was an inverse association between family size and atopy in the village population in 2003; the prevalence of atopy was the highest for those with no siblings (15.2%) and decreased to 5.4% for those with three and more siblings (OR = 0.22; 0.07-0.66). In contrast, there was little or no such protective effect in the town population where the prevalence of atopy was much higher (7.3% in the villages, 20.0% in the town). Nine years later, the prevalence of atopy had increased in the village to be similar to that in the town (19.6% and 19.9% respectively), and the protective effects of family size and birth order in the villages were much weaker (OR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.33-1.27 for three or more siblings). Both protective effects were strongest among children. The protective effects of family size and birth order on atopy were much stronger in children than in adults and among those living in a village. They largely disappeared with the steep increase in atopy prevalence at all ages; this followed environmental changes on the village farms.

The Impact of Family Size on Savings and Consumption Expenditure of Industrial Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

The present study investigated and analysed the impact of family size on monthly savings and consumption expenditure of the industrial workers. The results showed that with increasing household size, savings not only dwindled in absolute terms but also in relative terms as witnessed by decreasing saving to income ratios. Conversely, the consumption to income ratios witnessed an increasing pattern, which is indicative of income being diverted away from savings with every addition to the family size. The MANOVA post hoc analyses revealed that the mean monthly savings of each of the higher family size group (more than 3 members) were observed to be significantly lower than the smallest family group (3 members), which is symptomatic of low propensity towards saving in context of the workers with higher family size. Though, the mean monthly consumption expenditure of family size of 4, 5 and 6 members was observed to be significantly higher than that of the largest family group (7 members), however its consumption income ratio was observed to be greater than that of all the lower family size groups. This is logically plausible as the workers having the largest family size were observed to have the lowest mean monthly income, thereby implying the presence of large number of economically inactive members in this group, which resulted in diversion of a large part of their income towards their consumption expenses. The results of the ANOVA regression analysis confirmed that family size has a significant positive impact on the consumption expenditure of the industrial workers. Further, the reduction of savings due to increased burden of the additional family member corroborated the proposed negative effect of family size on savings of the workers.

Fertility and Schooling in Ouagadougou : The Role of Family Networks

The importance of family solidarity networks is routinely cited in the literature to explain why the relationship between number of children and schooling in sub-Saharan Africa does not follow the predicted theoretical pattern. The dilemma between quantity and quality of children may be less acute for parents if they can foster out their children to the extended family, or receive monetary support from them to pay for schooling costs. However, there has been little empirical exploration of this hypothesis due to a lack of suitable data. Drawing on an original dataset (Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems, Demtrend 2012 retrospective survey), this study uses logistic regression models to study the combined effect of family networks and number of siblings on schooling of children in suburban districts of Ouagadougou. The findings show that large families more frequently receive support from family networks for schooling than smaller ones. Moreover, family networks are able to offset the negative effect of large family size on school enrolment, but only for a part of the population, the poorest being excluded.

Cross-language activation of morphological relatives in cognates: the role of orthographic overlap and task-related processing.

We considered the role of orthography and task-related processing mechanisms in the activation of morphologically related complex words during bilingual word processing. So far, it has only been shown that such morphologically related words (i.e., morphological family members) are activated through the semantic and morphological overlap they share with the target word. In this study, we investigated family size effects in Dutch-English identical cognates (e.g., tent in both languages), non-identical cognates (e.g., pil and pill, in English and Dutch, respectively), and non-cognates (e.g., chicken in English). Because of their cross-linguistic overlap in orthography, reading a cognate can result in activation of family members both languages. Cognates are therefore well-suited for studying mechanisms underlying bilingual activation of morphologically complex words. We investigated family size effects in an English lexical decision task and a Dutch-English language decision task, both performed by Dutch-English bilinguals. English lexical decision showed a facilitatory effect of English and Dutch family size on the processing of English-Dutch cognates relative to English non-cognates. These family size effects were not dependent on cognate type. In contrast, for language decision, in which a bilingual context is created, Dutch and English family size effects were inhibitory. Here, the combined family size of both languages turned out to better predict reaction time than the separate family size in Dutch or English. Moreover, the combined family size interacted with cognate type: the response to identical cognates was slowed by morphological family members in both languages. We conclude that (1) family size effects are sensitive to the task performed on the lexical items, and (2) depend on both semantic and formal aspects of bilingual word processing. We discuss various mechanisms that can explain the observed family size effects in a spreading activation framework.

Effects of Family Size and Wealth on Size of Land Cultivated by Borana Pastoralists in Southern Ethiopia

Traditionally, Borana pastoralists relied solely on cattle for their livelihood. Today, however, concomitant with declining livestock, most Borana are cultivating land as a supplement to livestock production. We tested our hypothesis that labour availability and wealth would affect the area of land cultivated by examining four kebeles (smallest administrative unit; ward) with different characteristics in Liben district, southern Ethiopia. Overall, 92 % of the households, ranging from 82 % in Qorati to 100 % in Siminto, were cultivating land. The area of land cultivated was related significantly and positively to wealth only in Siminto and to the number of wives only in Hadhessa. We concluded that the different responses among kebeles were due to variations in local conditions and, consequently, the prediction of generalities over a wide geographical range should be made with caution.

The Effect of Family Size on Education: New Evidence from China's One Child Policy

Social scientists theorize that the inverse relationship between socio-economic status and family size represents a trade-off between the quality and quantity of children. Evaluating this hypothesis empirically requires addressing the simultaneity of the quality and quantity decisions. Researchers have used the unanticipated birth of twins as exogenous variation in family size or the sex composition of the first two children as an instrument for family size with mixed results. We exploit a different source of exogenous variation in family size. The One Child Policy (OCP) in China dramatically reduced Chinese fertility and we examine how the OCP has affected the educational attainment of Chinese migrants to the U.S. Using data from the American Community Survey (2009-2012) and a difference-in-differences strategy our results support the quality-quantity tradeoff theory. We find that education increased more for Chinese migrants born after the OCP than their counterparts from other East Asian countries.