2d:4d and Lifetime Educational Outcomes: Evidence from the Russian RLMS Survey

John Nye, Maksym Bryukhanov () and Sergiy Polyachenko

HSE Working papers from National Research University Higher School of Economics

Abstract: Is in utero exposure to testosterone (T), measured by the second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), associated with lifetime educational attainment? A growing body of work finds exposure to prenatal T to be associated with aggression, physical fitness, performance in computer science, and type of occupation. However, there has not yet been substantial research its relationship with lifetime educational outcomes. Using a large sample drawn from families in Moscow and in the Moscow region from the Russian Longitudinal Measurement Survey (RLMS), we observe clear links between measured 2D:4D and the levels of education obtained by men. Statistically significant positive associations between higher 2D:4D (lower prenatal T) and higher levels of education were found, using difference in means analysis and generalized ordered logit (gologit) regressions. These findings were also robust to using a different subsample. Weaker findings were seen for women. Since many of the earlier findings have shown the benefits of higher prenatal T for achievement, the current finding of a negative effect of prenatal T on educational attainment raises interesting issues about the ambiguous effects of prenatal T and the degree to which the traits it promotes interact with different tasks and social contexts

Keywords: 2D:4D; prenatal testosterone; education; RLMS; Russia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I15 I21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2016
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cis and nep-edu
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Published in WP BRP Series: Economics / EC, August 2016, pages 1-45

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hig:wpaper:145/ec/2016

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