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

Posted: 9 Jun 2015 Last revised: 21 Oct 2015

See all articles by Moiz Bhai

Moiz Bhai

University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Department of Economics

Date Written: February 23, 2015

Abstract

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.

Keywords: sibling sex composition, gender, human capital, twins, earnings, labor supply, schooling, health, mental health, physical health, smoking, obesity

JEL Classification: D13; I12; I21; J13; J16

Suggested Citation

Bhai, Moiz, Brothers are Better: The Effect of Sibling Sex Composition on Women's Schooling, Health, Earnings, and Labor Supply (February 23, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2568935 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2568935

Moiz Bhai (Contact Author)

University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Department of Economics ( email )

Little Rock, AR 72205
United States

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