The Returns to Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Germany

Guido Heineck () and Silke Anger ()

No 124, SOEPpapers from DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP)

Abstract: We provide the first joint evidence on the relationship between individuals' cognitive abilities, their personality and earnings for Germany. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study, we employ scores from an ultra-short IQ-test and a set of measures of personality traits, namely locus of control, reciprocity and all basic items from the Five Factor Personality Inventory. Our estimates suggest a positive effect of so-called fluid intelligence or speed of cognition on males¿ wages only. Findings for personality traits are more heterogeneous. There however is a robust wage penalty for an external locus of control for both men and women.

Keywords: Cognitive abilities; personality traits; Five Factor Model; Locus of control; reciprocity; wages (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 J31 I21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe and nep-lab
Date: 2008
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Related works:
Working Paper: The Returns to Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Germany (2008)
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp124

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