Biological Basics and Intergenerational Transfers

Donald Cox, Boston College

How do considerations of gender and reproductive biology figure into intergenerational transfer behavior? My research seeks to remedy a lack of attention to demographic effects in the standard economics literature on intergenerational transfers by examining the distinct constraints and interests of mothers, fathers, sons and daughters that emanate from biological considerations. It focuses on two prominent themes in reproductive biology: The first is paternity uncertainty. How might it affect incentives to provide for children? I examine differences in the transfer behavior between maternal grandmothers (whose biological relationship to grandchildren is always certain) versus paternal ones. The second theme is reproductive and economic prospects of male versus female offspring. I find that a maternal/paternal advantage in the provision of childcare persists even after controlling for covariates that would be implicated in such care. I also present preliminary findings concerning self-reports of paternal resemblance and subsequent paternal childcare, and sex-biased paternal investments.