On the demand for grandchildren: tied transfers and the demonstration effect

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Cox, D; Stark, O
• 署名单位: University of Bonn; Boston College; University of Klagenfurt; University of Vienna; University of Warsaw
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2004.04.005
• 发表日期: 2005
• 页码: 1665-1697
• 关键词: intergenerational transfers; the demonstration effect; inculcating values in children; subsidizing the production of grandchildren; housing downpayments

摘要

It is argued that parents provide help with housing downpayments in order to encourage the production of grandchildren, and that such a subsidization emanates from the demonstration effect: a child's propensity to furnish parents with attention and care can be conditioned by parental example. Parents who desire such transfers in the future have an incentive to make transfers to their own parents in order to instill appropriate preferences in their children. This generates a derived demand for grandchildren since potential grandparents will be treated better by their adult children if the latter have their own children to whom to demonstrate the appropriate behavior. Empirical work indicates behavior consistent with subsidization of the production of grandchildren and the demonstration effect. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.