My Parents Taught Me. Evidence on the Family Transmission of Values

44 Pages Posted: 9 Jul 2014

Date Written: March 28, 2014

Abstract

The paper uses questions included in the 2010 wave of the Bank of Italy’s Survey on Household Income and Wealth to investigate the role of family transmission of values. It presents three main empirical findings. First, the paper shows that a number of attitudes (generalized and personalized trusting behaviour, risk and time preferences) and outcomes (female labour force participation, fertility, entrepreneurship, productivity) are associated with the values received. Second, it documents that values received from parents are correlated with the values transmitted to descendants. Third, by using respondent moving patterns the paper highlights that there is little evidence that the values received are affected by the local environment before they are passed on further. This evidence is consistent with the idea that family transmission is a channel for historical persistence.

Keywords: Z1, D10, C83

JEL Classification: family, cultural transmission, values

Suggested Citation

Albanese, Giuseppe and de Blasio, Guido and Sestito, Paolo, My Parents Taught Me. Evidence on the Family Transmission of Values (March 28, 2014). Bank of Italy Temi di Discussione (Working Paper) No. 955, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2463206 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2463206

Giuseppe Albanese

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

Guido De Blasio

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
00184 Roma
Italy

Paolo Sestito (Contact Author)

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

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