Are Children Normal?
47 Pages Posted: 18 Sep 2011 Last revised: 20 Apr 2023
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Are Children 'Normal'?
Abstract
We examine Becker's (1960) contention that children are "normal." For the cross section of non-Hispanic white married couples in the U.S., we show that when we restrict comparisons to similarly-educated women living in similarly-expensive locations, completed fertility is positively correlated with the husband's income. The empirical evidence is consistent with children being "normal." In an effort to show causal effects, we analyze the localized impact on fertility of the mid-1970s increase in world energy prices an exogenous shock that substantially increased men's incomes in the Appalachian coal-mining region. Empirical evidence for that population indicates that fertility increases in men's income.
Keywords: Appalachian fertility, location choice, economics of fertility
JEL Classification: J13, J40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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