A new paper published ONLINE FIRST with free OPEN ACCESS finds for Denmark that women with a second-born brother acquire more traditional gender roles as measured through their choice of occupation and partner.

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Brothers increase women’s gender conformity

by Anne Ardila Brenøe

Published OPEN ACCESS ONLINE FIRST in the Journal of Population Economics.

Author Abstract: I examine how one central aspect of the family environment—sibling sex composition—affects women’s gender conformity. Using Danish administrative data, I causally estimate the effect of having a second-born brother relative to a sister for first-born women. I show that women with a brother acquire more traditional gender roles as measured through their choice of occupation and partner. This results in a stronger response to motherhood in labor market outcomes. As a relevant mechanism, I provide evidence of increased gender-specialized parenting in families with mixed-sex children. Finally, I find persistent effects on the next generation of girls.

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