Does marrying a man who is the eldest son bring happiness to women? Evidence from Japan

Abstract The effect of birth order is an interesting topic in economics. Most studies use data from developed countries to show adverse birth order effects, demonstrating that individuals with higher birth orders are more likely to have lower educational attainment and earnings. Furthermore, many studies have revealed adverse effects on other outcomes, such as health, intelligence, and intergenerational effects; however, no studies have focused on the impact of birth order on other household members, such as spouses. This study assesses the birth order effect on spouses’ “subjective well-being.” In particular, we examine how marriage with the eldest-son affects the wife’s happiness using the Japanese General Social Surveys. Our results reveal four findings. First, the wife marrying the eldest son is less happy than the wife marrying the second or younger son. Second, satisfaction declines in the case of the recent wife’s birth cohort (i.e., the 1970s and onward) and marrying the eldest son with no siblings. Third, married men who are the eldest sons are likelier to believe they are responsible for caring for aging parents and tend to help their parents with housework. Fourth, unlike women who marry the second or younger sons, women marrying men who are the eldest sons have no difference in their preference for work and parenting. JEL Classification : J12, J13, and I3