Abstract
We develop a theory of parent-child relations that rationalizes the choice between alternative parenting styles (as set out in Baumrind, 1967). Parents maximize an objective function that combines Beckerian altruism and paternalism towards children. They can affect their children's choices via two channels: either by influencing children's preferences or by imposing direct restrictions on their choice sets. Different parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) emerge as equilibrium outcomes and are affected both by parental preferences and by the socioeconomic environment. Parenting style, in turn, feeds back into the children's welfare and economic success. The theory is consistent with the decline of authoritarian parenting observed in industrialized countries and with the greater prevalence of more permissive parenting in countries characterized by low inequality.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1331-1371 |
| Number of pages | 41 |
| Journal | Econometrica |
| Volume | 85 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2017 |
Funding
Matthias Doepke: [email protected] Fabrizio Zilibotti: [email protected] This article is based on the Walras-Bowley Lecture delivered by Zilibotti at the 2016 North American Summer Meeting of the Econometric Society. We owe a special thanks to Giuseppe Sorrenti for his great help. We also thank the editor, three referees, Daniela Del Boca, Giovanni Gallipoli, Jeremy Greenwood, George Mailath, Espen Moen, Nicola Pavoni, Chiara Pronzato, Mar\u00EDa S\u00E1ez Mart\u00ED, Mich\u00E8le Tertilt, Giorgio Topa, and participants at various seminar and conference presentations for many helpful comments on earlier versions. Titan Alon and Laura Zwyssig provided excellent research assistance. Financial support from the National Science Foundation (grant SES-1260961, Doepke) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (100018_165616, Zilibotti) is gratefully acknowledged. 1\u201CHe who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him ...\u201D (Proverbs 13:24); \u201CFolly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him\u201D (Proverbs 22:15). 2\u201C. . . liberty and indulgence can do no good to children; their want of judgment makes them stand in need of restraint and discipline ...\u201D (Locke (1800, p. 40)). 3\u201CZealous teachers, be simple, sensible, and reticent; be in no hurry to act unless to prevent the actions of others . . . Children should never receive punishment merely as such; it should always come as the natural consequence of their fault\u201D (Rousseau (1762, Book II)).
Keywords
- Family altruism
- human capital
- inequality
- intergenerational preference transmission
- parenting style
- paternalism
- world value survey
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics
