47: The Effects of Birth Order on Adult Outcomes: Evidence from Australia
Author(s):
Gordon D. Menzies, Economics Discipline Group, UTS Business School, University of Technology, Sydney; Olena Stavrunova, Economics Discipline Group, University of Technology, Sydney; Oleg Yerokhin, University of Wollongong
Date of publication: June 2018
Working paper number: 47
Abstract: This paper investigates how birth order affects education, labour market outcomes, health, personality traits, in-vivo transfers and inheritance of Australians. We find that later born children have lower educational attainment, though we cannot find a detrimental effect on health, personality or parental financial transfers. Sibship size is related to inheritance in a way consistent with the financial dilution hypothesis, but its causal effect cannot be identified with confidence.
