Mothers and Sons: Preference Formation and Female Labor Force Dynamics

S-Tier
Journal: Quarterly Journal of Economics
Year: 2004
Volume: 119
Issue: 4
Pages: 1249-1299

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper argues that the growing presence of a new type of man—one brought up in a family in which the mother worked—has been a significant factor in the increase in female labor force participation over time. We present cross-sectional evidence showing that the wives of men whose mothers worked are themselves significantly more likely to work. We use variation in the importance of World War II as a shock to women's labor force participation—as proxied by variation in the male draft rate across U. S. states—to provide evidence in support of the intergenerational consequences of our propagation mechanism.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:qjecon:v:119:y:2004:i:4:p:1249-1299.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25