Does education level impact parental gender preferences? A comparative perspective on fathers and mothers in China

Abstract

Chinese society has traditionally shown a strong preference for sons over daughters. Based on data from the China General Social Survey (2015–2021), this study employs a three-stage sampling design to systematically explore the impact of education level on parental gender preferences. There are four main findings. First, the maternal education level independently reduces the preference for sons, whereas the paternal education level's impact requires consideration of spousal education levels. Second, in educational assortative matching, the hypogamy model, dominated by highly educated women, significantly weakens fathers' preferences for sons, whereas the traditional hypergamy model strengthens gender bias. Third, education level primarily affects parental gender preferences by dismantling the logic of economic dependence rather than cultural inertia. Fourth, there were significant regional differences in the effectiveness of educational interventions on parental gender preferences. These findings fill a gap in the research on paternal roles and educational assortative matching and provide a new perspective for understanding the gender dynamics of family decision-making in China. This research advances the empirical evidence on parental gender preferences antecedents and provides empirical foundations for policies aimed at enhancing educational equity and dismantling patriarchal norms through targeted interventions.