Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP8605
Authors: Natalie Chen; Paola Conconi; Carlo Perroni
Abstract: Empirical studies of intergenerational social mobility have found that women are more mobile than men. To explain this finding, we describe a model of multi-trait matching and inheritance, in which individuals? attractiveness in the marriage market depends on their market and non-market characteristics. We show that the observed gender differences in social mobility can arise if market characteristics are relatively more important in determining marriage outcomes for men than for women and are more persistent across generations than non-market characteristics. Paradoxically, the female advantage in social mobility may be due to their adverse treatment in the labor market. A reduction in gender discrimination in the labor market leads to an increase in homogamy in the marriage market, lowering social mobility for both genders.
Keywords: Social Mobility; Matching; Inheritance; Gender; Earnings Gap
JEL Codes: C78; D13; J31
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| gender discrimination in the labor market (J70) | relative importance of market traits for men and women (J29) |
| relative importance of market traits for men and women (J29) | differences in social mobility (J62) |
| market traits (D40) | marriage market success for men (J12) |
| nonmarket traits (Q26) | marriage market success for women (J12) |
| market traits are more persistent (E32) | men's desirability in the marriage market (J12) |
| nonmarket traits influence women's desirability in the marriage market (J29) | women's desirability in the marriage market (J12) |
| reduction in gender discrimination (J16) | increased homogamy in the marriage market (J12) |
| increased homogamy in the marriage market (J12) | lower social mobility for both genders (J62) |
| gender earnings gaps (J31) | mobility gaps across states (J62) |