A Theory of Child Adoption

Arbeitspapier

Women can bear own children or adopt them. Extending economic theories of fertility, we provide a first theoretical treatment of the demand for adoption. We show that the propensity to adopt a child increases in the degree of own altruism, infertility, relatedness to the child, costs of own child birth, and any adoption-specific monetary return that is received net of the costs of adopting the child. Our model makes several testable predictions which receive empirical support. These include a higher propensity to adopt among infertile adults, relatives, women with high earnings potential, and celebrities.

Object Details

• ISBN: 978-3-86788-395-5
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Ruhr Economic Papers ; No. 342

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure; Domestic Abuse ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth ; Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
• Subject: Adoption ; demand for adoption ; fertility ; children ; altruism

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bethmann, Dirk ; Kvasnicka, Michael
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI)
• (where): Essen
• (when): 2012

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.4419/86788395
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/61436
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET