We attempt to differentiate the degree attainment in the UK by type of higher education institutions. Historically higher education in the UK has been shaped by a dual system - elite universities on the one hand and polytechnics and other higher education institutions on the other. Despite the formal equivalence of both degrees, the two institution types faced different financing, target populations, admission procedures and subjects taught. Nevertheless, in survey data they are often indistinguishable. We overcome this problem using a multiple imputation technique in the UKHLS and BHPS data sets. We examine the validity of inference based on imputed values using Monte Carlo simulations. We also verify that the imputed values are consistent with university graduation rates computed using the universe of undergraduate students in the UK.

There is ample evidence that fathers favor sons over daughters. Yet, fathers of sons have poorer mental health than those of daughters. We illuminate and aim to explain this previously undocumented puzzle using Austrian data. We use various administrative and survey data sources to show that fathers with first-born sons tend to behave more like mothers, i.e. they invest significantly more in childcare and less in market work. Mothers’ investment behavior is not affected by the sex of the child. We conclude that the mental health of these men suffers from this shift in parenting behavior.

In this project, we analyze the causal effect of sibling gender on attitudes and preferences. Comparing first-born individuals with a next-born sister to first-born individuals with a next-born brother allows us to estimate the causal effect of sibling gender. First, we find that sibling gender matters only for women: men are not at all affected by the gender of their sibling. For women, we find that a next-born sister leads first-born women to have less stereo-typically female preferences in education and in terms of importance of career. Furthermore, we find that women with a sister in comparison to women with a brother have higher life satisfaction and better mental health. We also explore how the gender of the next-born sibling influences family relationships, in order to say more about the mechanisms at work. Our findings highlight, that the relationship with the next-born sibling changes. In addition, we find that women with a sister become more similar to men with respect to their self described social skills. These results shed light on how sibling gender influences preferences and attitudes, specifically those for education choices that are gender role conforming.

I analyze the causal effects of liberalizing access to emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), also known as the morning after pill, on young adults’ reproductive behavior in England. The liberalization, which changed the prescription status from “on doctor’s prescription only” to “available without prescription in pharmacies”, created easier and more timely access to EHC for all women aged 16 years or older. In a theoretical model of individual behavior I find that EHC, which can be seen as insurance against pregnancies, acts both as a substitute for regular contraception, as well as a substitute for abortions. This creates the need for analyzing the issue empirically since overall effects on outcomes such as births and abortions are unclear. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I find that easier access to EHC increases births only among 20-24 year olds. I find no effects on abortions or sexually transmitted infections.