The Returns to Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Germany

Guido Heineck and Silke Anger

No 124, SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 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: I21 J24 J31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 p.
Date: 2008
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe and nep-lab
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (56)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The returns to cognitive abilities and personality traits in Germany (2010)
Journal Article: The Returns to Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Germany (2010)
Working Paper: The Returns to Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Germany (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp124

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