The Intergenerational Transmission of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities

Erik Grönqvist (), Jonas Vlachos and Björn Öckert

No 884, Working Paper Series from Research Institute of Industrial Economics

Abstract: We study the intergenerational transmission of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities between fathers and sons using population-wide enlistment data. Measurement error bias in fathers’ ability measures is corrected for using two sets of instruments. Results suggest that previous estimates of intergenerational ability correlations are biased downwards; once corrected for, the non-cognitive correlation is close to that of cognitive ability. We also predict mothers’ abilities and find the mother-son cognitive ability correlation to be stronger than the father-son correlation. Finally, educational attainment and labor market outcomes of both sons and daughters are strongly related to both parents’ cognitive and non-cognitive abilities.

Keywords: Intergenerational Ability Correlations; Cognitive Ability; Non-Cognitive Ability; Measurement Error Bias (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I00 J13 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2011-10-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo and nep-neu
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The intergenerational transmission of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities (2010)
Working Paper: The intergenerational transmission of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:0884

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