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Playing the Fertility Game at Work: An Equilibrium Model of Peer Effects
Federico Ciliberto1, Amalia R Miller1, Helena Skyt Nielsen2
1Department of Economics, University of Virginia.
International Economic Review
|September 9, 2016
Summary
Workplace peer effects influence fertility decisions, with negative average impacts observed. However, positive effects emerge for diverse worker types, highlighting the importance of workplace distribution in predicting population fertility.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Economics
- Demography
Background:
- Workplace dynamics can influence individual decisions, including family planning.
- Understanding peer effects is crucial for demographic and labor market research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate workplace peer effects on fertility decisions among women.
- To analyze strategic interactions and multiple equilibria in coworker fertility choices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a game theory model of strategic interactions.
- Employed register-based data for fertile-aged women in Denmark.
- Analyzed heterogeneous effects across worker types (age, education).
Main Results:
- Observed negative average peer effects on fertility.
- Found positive effects dominated for workers categorized by age or education.
- Identified negative effects within specific age groups and among low-education workers.
Conclusions:
- Workplace peer effects on fertility are complex and heterogeneous.
- The distribution of workers across different establishments significantly impacts population fertility predictions.
- Policy considerations should extend beyond employment status to include workplace composition.
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