Small Family, Smart Family? Family Size and the IQ Scores of Young Men
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Black, Sandra E.
Devereux, Paul J.
Salvanes, Kjell G.
Abstract / Description
How do families influence the ability of children? Cognitive skills have been shown to be a strong predictor of educational attainment and future labor market success; as a result, understanding the determinants of cognitive skills can lead to a better understanding of children's long run outcomes. This paper uses a large dataset on the male population of Norway and focuses on one family characteristic: the effect of family size on IQ. Because of the endogeneity of family size, we instrument for family size using twin births and sex composition. IV estimates using sex composition as an instrument show no negative effect of family size; however, IV estimates using twins imply that family size has a negative effect on IQ. Our results suggest that effect of family size depends on the type of family size intervention. We conclude that there are no important negative effects of expected increases in family size on IQ but that unexpected shocks to family size resulting from twin births have
negative effects on the IQ of existing children.
Keyword(s)
Familiengröße Kind Intelligenzquotient Familiengröße Kind Intelligenzquotient family size IQPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2007
Is part of series
Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;3011
Citation
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dp3011.pdfAdobe PDF - 276.51KBMD5: 0f3b2a24328ce9c0ba37a3405622c4cb
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Black, Sandra E.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Devereux, Paul J.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Salvanes, Kjell G.
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-11-17T11:01:20Z
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Made available on2008-06-03
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Made available on2015-12-01T10:32:09Z
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Made available on2022-11-17T11:01:20Z
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Date of first publication2007
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Abstract / DescriptionHow do families influence the ability of children? Cognitive skills have been shown to be a strong predictor of educational attainment and future labor market success; as a result, understanding the determinants of cognitive skills can lead to a better understanding of children's long run outcomes. This paper uses a large dataset on the male population of Norway and focuses on one family characteristic: the effect of family size on IQ. Because of the endogeneity of family size, we instrument for family size using twin births and sex composition. IV estimates using sex composition as an instrument show no negative effect of family size; however, IV estimates using twins imply that family size has a negative effect on IQ. Our results suggest that effect of family size depends on the type of family size intervention. We conclude that there are no important negative effects of expected increases in family size on IQ but that unexpected shocks to family size resulting from twin births have negative effects on the IQ of existing children.en
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Persistent Identifierhttps://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-16286
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/1087
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8871
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Language of contenteng
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Is part ofIZA Discussion Paper Series No. 3011
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Is part of seriesForschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;3011
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Keyword(s)Familiengrößede
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Keyword(s)Kindde
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Keyword(s)Intelligenzquotientde
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Keyword(s)Familiengrößede
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Keyword(s)Kindde
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Keyword(s)Intelligenzquotientde
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Keyword(s)family sizeen
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Keyword(s)IQen
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleSmall Family, Smart Family? Family Size and the IQ Scores of Young Mende
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DRO typereport
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Visible tag(s)PsyDok