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Research ArticleArticle
Open Access

The Economics of Hypergamy

Ingvild Almås, Andreas Kotsadam, Espen R. Moen and Knut Røed
Published online before print October 12, 2020, 1219-10604R1; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.58.3.1219-10604R1
Ingvild Almås
Ingvild Almås is a professor at the IIES, Stockholm University and the Norwegian School of Economics. Andreas Kotsadam is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research and a professor at the University of Oslo. Espen R. Moen is a professor at The Norwegian Business School. Knut Røed is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research
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Andreas Kotsadam
Ingvild Almås is a professor at the IIES, Stockholm University and the Norwegian School of Economics. Andreas Kotsadam is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research and a professor at the University of Oslo. Espen R. Moen is a professor at The Norwegian Business School. Knut Røed is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research
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  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Espen R. Moen
Ingvild Almås is a professor at the IIES, Stockholm University and the Norwegian School of Economics. Andreas Kotsadam is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research and a professor at the University of Oslo. Espen R. Moen is a professor at The Norwegian Business School. Knut Røed is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research
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Knut Røed
Ingvild Almås is a professor at the IIES, Stockholm University and the Norwegian School of Economics. Andreas Kotsadam is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research and a professor at the University of Oslo. Espen R. Moen is a professor at The Norwegian Business School. Knut Røed is a senior researcher at The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research
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Abstract

Partner selection is a vital feature of human behavior with important consequences for individuals, families, and society. We use the term hypergamy to describe a phenomenon whereby there is a tendency for husbands to be of higher rank within the male earnings capacity distribution than their wives are within the female distribution. Such patterns are difficult to verify empirically because earnings are both a cause and an effect of the mating process. Using parental earnings rank as a predetermined measure of earnings capacity to solve the simultaneity problem, we show that hypergamy is an important feature of today’s mating patterns in one of the most gender-equal societies in the world, namely Norway. Through its influence on household specialization, we argue that hypergamy may explain parts of the remaining gender wage gap.

Keywords
  • Marriage
  • Gender identity
  • Labor supply
  • Household specialization
JEL classification
  • J12
  • D10
  • J22

This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY- NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org

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Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
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The Economics of Hypergamy
Ingvild Almås, Andreas Kotsadam, Espen R. Moen, Knut Røed
Journal of Human Resources Oct 2020, 1219-10604R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.3.1219-10604R1

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The Economics of Hypergamy
Ingvild Almås, Andreas Kotsadam, Espen R. Moen, Knut Røed
Journal of Human Resources Oct 2020, 1219-10604R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.3.1219-10604R1
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Keywords

  • Marriage
  • Gender identity
  • labor supply
  • Household specialization
  • J12
  • D10
  • J22
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