Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/35693 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 3815
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We analyze a mechanism that has been disregarded in the literature on parental investment in children, as little attention has been devoted to the choices made by children themselves. We model directly time use by youngsters into activities related to the acquisition of human capital, considering not just the decision on study time, but also on socialization/networking at young age, which can enhance personal interaction skills. We provide new empirical evidence for three European countries (France, Italy and Germany) on the link between time allocation by parents and time allocation by youngsters, highlighting country-specific patterns as well as cross-country differences. We run fractional regression models and double hurdle models on multi-member household micro data on time use. Countries diverge concerning the association between parents and youngsters allocation of time to socializing and to reading and studying activities, with Italy standing out as the country where that association, in particular between youngster and mother, is strongest. Our results are consistent with different mechanisms: parental role model directly influencing children behavior, intergenerational transmission of preferences, or network effects, as individuals adapt their behavior to social patterns.
Subjects: 
Study time
socializing
networking
youth
intergenerational transmission of preferences
fractional regression models
double hurdle models
JEL: 
J22
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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