TY - JOUR
T1 - A new methodological framework for studying status exchange in marriage
AU - Xie, Yu
AU - Dong, Hao
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - The authors propose a new methodological framework for studying status exchange in marriage. As shown in recent debates on status-race or status-beauty exchange, the conventional log-linear modeling approach is prone to controversial specifications and alternative interpretations. This study develops a simple method—the exchange index (EI)—with cohort-and gender-specific relative status measures, statistical distribution balancing, and nonparametric matching. While allowing for multiple covariate controls, the EI measures the average difference in spouse’s status between intermarriages and matched in-group marriages. To demonstrate the new framework, two analytical examples of status-race and status-age exchange, based on the IPUMS 2000 U.S. Census 5% microdata sample, are used. To verify the new method, replication and simulation studies are also conducted. This approach reduces model dependency, improves flexibility to account for confounders, allows for examination of heterogeneous patterns, speaks to fundamental concepts in status exchange theory, and takes advantage of increasingly available large-scale microdata.
AB - The authors propose a new methodological framework for studying status exchange in marriage. As shown in recent debates on status-race or status-beauty exchange, the conventional log-linear modeling approach is prone to controversial specifications and alternative interpretations. This study develops a simple method—the exchange index (EI)—with cohort-and gender-specific relative status measures, statistical distribution balancing, and nonparametric matching. While allowing for multiple covariate controls, the EI measures the average difference in spouse’s status between intermarriages and matched in-group marriages. To demonstrate the new framework, two analytical examples of status-race and status-age exchange, based on the IPUMS 2000 U.S. Census 5% microdata sample, are used. To verify the new method, replication and simulation studies are also conducted. This approach reduces model dependency, improves flexibility to account for confounders, allows for examination of heterogeneous patterns, speaks to fundamental concepts in status exchange theory, and takes advantage of increasingly available large-scale microdata.
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U2 - 10.1086/713927
DO - 10.1086/713927
M3 - Article
C2 - 34366436
AN - SCOPUS:85106198234
SN - 0002-9602
VL - 126
SP - 1179
EP - 1219
JO - American Journal of Sociology
JF - American Journal of Sociology
IS - 5
ER -