Job-Worker Mismatch and Cognitive Decline

Andries de Grip, Hans Bosma, Dick Willems and Martin van Boxtel
Additional contact information
Hans Bosma: Maastricht University
Dick Willems: Maastricht University
Martin van Boxtel: Maastricht University

No 2956, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We have used longitudinal test data on various aspects of people’s cognitive abilities to analyze whether overeducated workers are more vulnerable to a decline in their cognitive abilities, and undereducated workers are less vulnerable. We found that a job-worker mismatch induces a cognitive decline with respect to immediate and delayed recall abilities, cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency. Our findings indicate that, to some extent, it is the adjustment of the ability level of the overeducated and undereducated workers that adjusts initial job-worker mismatch. This adds to the relevance of preventing overeducation, and shows that being employed in a challenging job contributes to workers’ cognitive resilience.

Keywords: cognitive abilities; overeducation; job-worker mismatch (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I19 I29 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2007-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe and nep-lab
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

Published - published in: Oxford Economic Papers, 2008, 60 (2), 237-253

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Journal Article: Job-worker mismatch and cognitive decline (2008)
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