Sons and daughters: parental beliefs and child behaviour (evidence from the UK Millennium Cohort Study)
Year: 2014
Type: book
Abstract: An extensive literature exists exploring the determinants of child behaviour, with increasing interest in its links with parental characteristics and beliefs. In this paper we explore a particular aspect of this relationship by looking at the parents' beliefs regarding how to treat boys and girls. A question in the third wave of the UK Millennium Cohort Study asks both the mother and father of 5-year olds whether they agree to the statement: 'Sons in families should be given more encouragement than daughters to do well at school'. We model both the determinants of parent's beliefs, as captured by this question; and the impact of these beliefs on the behaviour of 7 year old boys and girls, separately. The key findings of the paper suggest that parental agreement to the above statement does not have an impact on boys' behaviour; however, it has a detrimental impact on the behaviour of girls.
Authors: Gurleen Popli, Aki Tsuchiya
Institution: University of Sheffield
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Gender equality
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W126872004