ABSTRACT
We use exogenously determined, long-distance relocations of U.S. Army soldiers to investigate the impact of moving on marriage. In an event study analysis, we find that marriage rates increase sharply around the time of a move. Reduced-form exposure analysis reveals that an additional move over a five-year period increases the likelihood of marriage by 14 percent, a magnitude similar to those in observational data on civilians. Moves increase childbearing by a similar magnitude, suggesting that marriages induced by a move are formed with long-term intentions. We explore implications of our findings for theories of marriage related to search, bargaining, and decision-making costs.
- Received September 2019.
- Accepted January 2021.
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In this issue
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- Article
- ABSTRACT
- I. Introduction
- II. The Relationship between Moves and Marriage among Civilians
- III. Data and Identification Strategy
- IV. Main Impacts: Event Study and Exposure Analysis
- V. Explanations from Theory
- VI. Evidence on Theoretical Mechanisms: The Role of Location and Move Characteristics
- VII. Conclusion
- Footnotes
- References
- Figures & Data
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