The Geographic Mobility of Dual-Earner Couples: Does Gender Ideology Matter?

The study examines the geographic mobility of dual-earner couples using data from the German Socio-economic Panel. Although the predictions of the microeconomic family migration model are by and large met, gender ideology also plays a significant role in the explanation of family migration behavior. Splitting the sample of dual-earners into traditional and egalitarian couples reveals that job-related characteristics of men statistically dominate those of women in traditional couples. In egalitarian couples, such gender bias cannot be found. Male and female characteristics have the same effect on family migration behavior.