Brothers increase women's gender conformity

I examine how one central aspect of the family environment-sibling sex composition-affects women's gender conformity. Using Danish administrative data, I causally estimate the effect of having a second-born brother relative to a sister for first-born women. I show that women with a brother acquire more traditional gender roles as measured through their choice of occupation and partner. This results in a stronger response to motherhood in labor market outcomes. As a relevant mechanism, I provide evidence of increased gender-specialized parenting in families with mixed-sex children. Finally, I find persistent effects on the next generation of girls.

Automated summary

The study shows that the sibling sex composition in a family can influence women's gender conformity, with women having brothers more likely to adopt traditional gender roles, especially in career choices and partner relationships. This may be due to gender-specialized parenting in families with mixed-sex children. Furthermore, the effects of this influence can persist into the next generation of girls.