Research
Publications
Sibling Sex Composition, Race, and Marriage in the United States
Accepted at Economics Letters
with Raymond Kim
Sibling sex composition shapes marriage outcomes in the United States, with substantial heterogeneity across racial and socioeconomic groups.
Abstract
This paper examines the effect of sibling sex composition on marriage outcomes in the United States using a comprehensive, newly-constructed dataset from Texas covering individuals born between 1976–1997. Leveraging both singleton and twin analyses, we find robust evidence that having a same-sex sibling significantly increases the likelihood of marriage and accelerates marriage timing. We also reveal substantial heterogeneity across racial groups: White individuals consistently show strong effects, while Black and Hispanic populations sometimes exhibit distinctive patterns, including reduced divorce rates for Black men with same-sex twins and delayed marriage for Hispanic men. Furthermore, we document significant wealth-based variation, with sibling sex effects on marriage predominantly present in affluent counties. This socioeconomic divide suggests that parental resource allocation strategies, sibling relationships, and cultural marriage norms vary substantially by wealth status. Our results illuminate the complex interplay between family structure, economic conditions, and cultural factors in shaping marriage decisions, highlighting the critical importance of considering both racial background and socioeconomic context when studying family formation patterns.Working Papers
Sibling Spillovers and Special Education Access Latest Draft
Revise and Resubmit at Journal of Human Resources
with Briana Ballis and Emily Dieckmann
Reduced special education access for one child reveals overlooked sibling benefits, exposing hidden family spillovers from targeted education policies.
Abstract
Over 13% of U.S. children receive special education (SpEd) services, yet little is known about their impact on siblings. We study sibling spillovers using a 2005 Texas policy that capped district-level SpEd enrollment at 8.5%, leading to sharp declines in access. Linking birth and education records, we find that when one child is more likely to lose SpEd services, their general education sibling experiences improved long-run outcomes. Although these effects likely reflect a combination of changes in parental investment and direct sibling interactions, the evidence more strongly supports parental resource reallocation than direct sibling spillovers. Our results imply that evaluations of targeted education programs like SpEd should account for family spillovers and not just the treated child outcomes.Bullets to Ballots Latest Draft
with Zhangping Cai
Understanding the relationship between violent criminal activity and voter participation.
Abstract
This paper estimates how exposure to nearby criminal activity affects electoral participation using administrative, geocoded data from Texas linked to the 2016 general election. Leveraging the quasi-random timing of incidents relative to Election Day, we combine a regression discontinuity in time (RDiT) with difference-in-differences analysis that compares voters living close to murders occurring just before the election to observationally similar neighbors exposed just after. We find that pre-election exposure to murders decreases turnout. Demobilization is concentrated among younger voters, unaffiliated/non-partisan registrants, and for incidents that occur during daytime hours, consistent with salience and risk-perception channels that raise the perceived costs of voting. Effects are most pronounced for individuals residing nearest to the incident location and attenuate with distance from the murder and time from the election.Work in Progress
Where Boys and Girls Diverge: Comparative Advantage Across Ten Academic Domains
with Kris Gulati, Raymond Kim, and Letitia Wangoya
Family Formation and Crime
with Zhangping Cai