The researchers also found that the interest of potential adoptive parents in a particular baby depends on the stage of gestation. Mariagiovanna Baccara, assistant professor at NYU's Stern School of Business, says these results are especially interesting because 'the same race and gender biases persist across all categories of adoptive parents that we identified.' In fact, she says, 'the gender bias in favor of girls is somewhat stronger for both gay men and lesbian couples.' The data showed that parents are willing to pay an average of $16,000 more in finalization costs for a girl as opposed to a boy, says Yariv-and $38,000 more for a non-African-American baby than for an African-American baby. These preferences come with what is essentially a price tag, the researchers note. 'But, in adoption, there's a very strong preference for girls over boys.' 'With biological children, the literature shows that there's a slight but significant preference for boys over girls,' says Yariv. The preference for girls is arguably unexpected. 'A girl has a higher-by slightly more than one-third-chance of attracting the attention of potential adoptive parents than a boy,' says Felli. The second pattern shown was the gender preference. This difference, he adds, is not seen when comparing parents' preferences for Caucasian versus Hispanic babies-a finding that is somewhat surprising, given that the adoptive parents in the sample are all Caucasian. This revealed three main patterns.įirst, the researchers found that a non-African-American baby is seven times more likely to 'attract the interest and attention of potential adoptive parents than an African-American baby,' says Felli. In other words, the team could see which babies attracted interest from potential adoptive parents, and determine which traits were most likely to lead to a successful adoption. In addition, we could see which children the potential adoptive parents applied for.' 'We could see the attributes of the children-race, gender, age-and even the finalization costs, or the amount of money the adoptive parent would need to pay to finalize the adoption. 'The website operates somewhat like an online real estate site,' she explains. Hence the need for adoption facilitators, says Yariv. On the other hand, the number of children who are not adopted and end up in the foster-care system is disproportionately high.' He notes that adoption in the United States has 'been characterized, for years, by two conflicting imbalances: On the one hand, a considerable number of potential adoptive parents are left unmatched. The intermediary works to bring together-to match-potential adoptive parents with birth mothers seeking to relinquish their children for adoption.Īchieving such a match is not an easy task, says Leonardo Felli, professor of economics at the London School of Economics. The researchers, however, were able to gather information-from a website run by an adoption intermediary-over a five-year period (between 20).

What makes them so unusual? Detailed data on adoption generally are difficult to come by.

'These data are unique,' says Leeat Yariv, associate professor of economics at Caltech.

The key to these findings, the research team says, was the data set they were able to put together. While the data are intriguing, the real value of the study, the researchers say, is that it can give policymakers a more rational, evidence-driven base from which to consider the implications of policies and laws, such as those that restrict adoption by single-sex and foreign couples. These preferences are significant, according to the findings of a team of economists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the London School of Economics, and New York University (NYU), and can be quantified in terms of the amount of money the potential adoptive parents are willing to pay in finalizing their adoption. PASADENA, Calif.- Parents pursuing adoption within the United States have strong preferences regarding the types of babies they will apply for, tending to choose non-African-American girls, and favoring babies who are close to being born as opposed to those who have already been born or who are early in gestation.

Newborn black baby girl