Working Paper: NBER ID: w15677
Authors: Jess Fernández-Villaverde; Jeremy Greenwood; Nezih Guner
Abstract: Societies socialize children about sex. This is done in the presence of peer-group effects, which may encourage undesirable behavior. Parents want the best for their children. Still, they weigh the marginal gains from socializing their children against its costs. Churches and states may stigmatize sex, both because of a concern about the welfare of their flocks and the need to control the cost of charity associated with out-of-wedlock births. Modern contraceptives have profoundly affected the calculus for instilling sexual mores. As contraception has improved there is less need for parents, churches and states to inculcate sexual mores. Technology affects culture.
Keywords: premarital sex; socialization; stigma; peer effects; contraception
JEL Codes: E1; E13; J10; J13; N0; O11; O33
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Increase in prevalence of premarital sex (J12) | Decrease in perceived costs of engaging in premarital sex (J12) |
| Peer group effects (C92) | Likelihood of engaging in premarital sex (J12) |
| Improvements in contraceptive technology (J13) | Increase in prevalence of premarital sex (J12) |
| Peer group effects (C92) | Increase in likelihood of engaging in premarital sex (J12) |
| Shame (C71) | Decrease in likelihood of engaging in premarital sex (J12) |