Do employers reward physical attractiveness in transition countries?

Astghik Mavisakalyan ()

Economics & Human Biology, 2018, vol. 28, issue C, 38-52

Abstract: This paper studies the labour market returns to physical attractiveness using data from three transition countries of the Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. I estimate a large positive effect of attractive looks on males’ probability of employment. Results from the most comprehensive model suggest a marginal effect of 11.1 percentage points. Using a partial identification approach, I show that this relationship is likely to be causal. After accounting for covariates, particularly measures of human capital, there is no evidence for a statistically significant link between females’ attractiveness and employment.

Keywords: Attractiveness; Employment; Former Soviet Union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J21 J70 P23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:28:y:2018:i:c:p:38-52

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2017.10.002

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