Sibling Influence in Field of Study Choices

Maaike van der Vleuten; Jeroen Weesie; Ineke Maas

doi:10.1016/j.rssm.2020.100525

Sibling Influence in Field of Study Choices

Maaike van der Vleuten^*, Jeroen Weesie, Ineke Maas

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

This study evaluates sibling similarities in field of study choices after secondary education in the Netherlands. Based on social learning theory, it was argued that younger siblings follow their older sibling's field of study choices. This is more likely to occur when siblings differ more in age, older siblings are higher educated or when siblings are of the same sex. Data from the fifth wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in the Netherlands were used. We analyzed 4556 children in 2923 families using conditional logit models. Congruent with the social learning theory, younger siblings follow their older sibling's fields of study, especially when they are of the same sex. There is no evidence that sibling similarities are dependent on differences in age or education level of the older sibling. They are also present irrespective of parental influence and independent of the specific field chosen by the older sibling. Siblings are therefore – next to parents – an important aspect of the home environment that shapes field of study choices.

Original language	English
Article number	100525
Pages (from-to)	1-18
Number of pages	18
Journal	Research in Social Stratification and Mobility
Volume	68
Early online date	26 Jun 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2020.100525
Publication status	Published - Aug 2020

Funding

This research was supported by the Dutch Scientific Organisation (NWO) research talent grant entitled “Gendered Choices: school and field of study trajectories of male and female adolescents in four European countries” [grant number 406-12-018 ]. Additionally, financial support from the NORFACE research programme on Migration in Europe – Social, Economic, Cultural and Policy Dynamics and from “NWO middelgroot” [ 480-11-013 ] is acknowledged.

Funders	Funder number
NORFACE
Dutch Scientific Organisation
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	406-12-018, 480-11-013

Keywords

Field of study
Sibling similarity
Social learning theory

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.rssm.2020.100525

Sibling influence in field of study choicesFinal published version, 867 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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title = "Sibling Influence in Field of Study Choices",

abstract = "This study evaluates sibling similarities in field of study choices after secondary education in the Netherlands. Based on social learning theory, it was argued that younger siblings follow their older sibling's field of study choices. This is more likely to occur when siblings differ more in age, older siblings are higher educated or when siblings are of the same sex. Data from the fifth wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in the Netherlands were used. We analyzed 4556 children in 2923 families using conditional logit models. Congruent with the social learning theory, younger siblings follow their older sibling's fields of study, especially when they are of the same sex. There is no evidence that sibling similarities are dependent on differences in age or education level of the older sibling. They are also present irrespective of parental influence and independent of the specific field chosen by the older sibling. Siblings are therefore – next to parents – an important aspect of the home environment that shapes field of study choices.",

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N2 - This study evaluates sibling similarities in field of study choices after secondary education in the Netherlands. Based on social learning theory, it was argued that younger siblings follow their older sibling's field of study choices. This is more likely to occur when siblings differ more in age, older siblings are higher educated or when siblings are of the same sex. Data from the fifth wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in the Netherlands were used. We analyzed 4556 children in 2923 families using conditional logit models. Congruent with the social learning theory, younger siblings follow their older sibling's fields of study, especially when they are of the same sex. There is no evidence that sibling similarities are dependent on differences in age or education level of the older sibling. They are also present irrespective of parental influence and independent of the specific field chosen by the older sibling. Siblings are therefore – next to parents – an important aspect of the home environment that shapes field of study choices.

AB - This study evaluates sibling similarities in field of study choices after secondary education in the Netherlands. Based on social learning theory, it was argued that younger siblings follow their older sibling's field of study choices. This is more likely to occur when siblings differ more in age, older siblings are higher educated or when siblings are of the same sex. Data from the fifth wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in the Netherlands were used. We analyzed 4556 children in 2923 families using conditional logit models. Congruent with the social learning theory, younger siblings follow their older sibling's fields of study, especially when they are of the same sex. There is no evidence that sibling similarities are dependent on differences in age or education level of the older sibling. They are also present irrespective of parental influence and independent of the specific field chosen by the older sibling. Siblings are therefore – next to parents – an important aspect of the home environment that shapes field of study choices.

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Sibling Influence in Field of Study Choices

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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