The Gendered Sibling Rivalry: Effect of Sibship Structure on Adolescent Cognitive Ability in China

Professor Ran Liu will examine the effect of sibship structure on adolescent cognitive ability in China. Her research has shown a negative effect of having siblings on adolescent cognitive ability, and this effect is more evident among girls than boys. Three mediation mechanisms will be discussed: children with siblings tend to 1) have lower levels of parental education involvement and parent-child interaction; 2) spend more time on housework; and 3) possess fewer education resources.