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: Suggested Citation