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Spouse selection and earnings: evidence of marital sorting
Author(s) -
Nakosteen RA,
Zimmer MA
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
economic inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1465-7295
pISSN - 0095-2583
DOI - 10.1111/j.1465-7295.2001.tb00061.x
Subject(s) - unobservable , spouse , earnings , economics , matching (statistics) , wage , panel data , panel study of income dynamics , demographic economics , econometrics , selection (genetic algorithm) , labour economics , statistics , sociology , mathematics , accounting , anthropology , artificial intelligence , computer science
This article investigates economic bases for individuals’selection of marriage partners. Its central focus is matching of spouse pairs based on unobservable components of hourly earnings. Using a data extract from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we have observations of individuals’wages before and immediately after marriage, along with their spouses’earnings after marriage. We exploit the data to estimate the relation between spouses’wage residuals. The evidence supports positive marital matching on the basis of earnings. The results are robust with respect to variations in the statistical framework of the model.