Educational homogamy and assortative mating have not increased
Files
Accepted manuscript
Date
2020-11
Authors
Gihleb, Rania
Lang, Kevin
Version
Accepted manuscript
OA Version
Citation
Rania Gihleb, Kevin Lang. 2020. "Educational Homogamy and Assortative Mating Have Not Increased." Research in Labor Economics, Volume 48, pp. 1 - 1 (26). https://doi.org/10.1108/S0147-912120200000048001
Abstract
Some economists have argued that assortative mating between men and women has increased over the last several decades. Sociologists have argued that educational homogamy has increased. The two are conceptually distinct but often confused. We clarify the relation between the two and, using both the Current Population Surveys and the decennial Censuses/American Community Survey, show that neither conclusion is correct. Both are sensitive to how educational categories are chosen. The former is based on the use of inappropriate statistical techniques.