Resource Dilution Theory: Can a Theory that Feels So Right Really Be so Wrong?
Among the most replicated patterns in the social sciences is the inverse relationship between number of siblings and educational outcomes. Resource dilution is the dominant sociological explanation. Simply put, parents’ resources (e.g., time, energy, money) are finite and spread more thinly as siblings are added to the family. This straightforward and intuitive account, however, fails to garner consistent empirical support. For example, instrumental variable analysis suggests that sibship size effects are small or nonexistent. And in some countries, sibship size is unrelated, or evenly positively related, to educational outcomes. Given these challenges, I reconsider Resource Dilution Theory’s appeal, discuss its current woes, and ask whether it has any remaining value.
