Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/36795 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2010
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 4875
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Virtue is modeled as an asset that women can use in the marriage market: since men value virginity in prospective mates, preserving her virtue increases a woman's chances of marrying a high-status husband, and therefore allows for upward social mobility. Consistent with some historical and anthropological evidence, we find that the prevalence (and the value) of virginity, across societies and over time, can be influenced by socio-economic factors such as male income inequality, gender differences, social status and stratification, and overall economic development.
Subjects: 
Mating
marriage
cultural values
social classes
gender
JEL: 
D1
J12
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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