Publications Based on SOEP Data: SOEPlit

Does Society Influence the Gender Gap in Risk Attitudes? Evidence from East and West Germany

Previous international research has shown that women are more risk averse than men. This gives rise to the question whether the gender gap in risk attitudes is shaped by the social environment. We address this question by examining risk attitudes among East and West Germans. Originated from different family policies during Germany’s separation, East Germans have more equal gender roles than West Germans. ...

Out-Of-Partnership Births in East and West Germany

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), we show that single women in East Germany are significantly more likely to give birth to a child than single women in West Germany. This applies to both planned and unplanned births. Our analysis provides no evidence that the difference between East and West Germany can be explained by economic factors or the higher availability of child care ...

Reciprocity and Workers’ Tastes for Representation

Using unique survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, this study examines the influence of reciprocal inclinations on workers’ sorting into codetermined firms. Employees with strong negative reciprocal inclinations are more likely to work in firms with a works council while employees with strong positive reciprocal inclinations are less likely to work in such firms. We argue that these findings ...

Single Motherhood in East and West Germany: What Can Explain the Differences?

The share of single mothers is higher in East Germany than in West Germany. Using data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), we examine two transmission channels leading to single motherhood, namely out-of-partnership births and separations of couples with minor children. Women in East Germany have both a higher probability of out-of-partnership birth and a higher probability of separation. We find ...

Risk Attitude and Nonmarital Birth

Using data of adult women from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), we find that risk tolerance is associated with a higher probability of an out-of-partnership birth. In contrast, we find no association between risk tolerance and the probability of a cohabiting birth.

Estimating the demand for health care with panel data: a semiparametric Bayesian approach

The Causal Effect of Overqualification on Earnings: Evidence from a Bayesian Approach

European mothers' time spent looking after children - Differences and similarities across nine countries

Heterogeneous returns to personality: the role of occupational choice

We analyze the role of personality in occupational choice and wages using data from Germany for the years 1992 to 2009. Characterizing personality by use of seven complementary measures (Big Five personality traits, locus of control, and a measure of reciprocity), the empirical findings show that personal characteristics are important determinants of occupational choice. Associated with that, identical ...

Parent-Child-Transfers in Germany: A Study of Magnitude and Motivations

Ziel dieses Beitrags ist die Analyse privater Transfers in Deutschland mit Daten des Sozio-ökonomischen Panels (SOEP). Für das Jahr 1995 wird die Summe lebzeitiger Eltern-Kind-Transfers auf etwa 17 Milliarden DM geschätzt. Die ökonometrische Analyse basiert auf zwei Unterstichproben aus dem SOEP: einem Eltern-Datensatz, der Informationen über eine große Zahl von Elternhaushalten enthält, und einem ...