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The effects of relative and absolute age in the measurement of grit from 9th to 12th grade

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  • Peña, Pablo A.
  • Duckworth, Angela L.

Abstract

The measurement of grit and other character skills in schools, most often using self-report questionnaires, has grown in recent years. Very little is known about whether self-report questionnaires are subject to age effects. Using a longitudinal sample of 14,762 students in Mexico surveyed in 9th and 12th grades (three years apart), we estimate the effects of relative age (i.e., age with respect to classmates) and absolute age (i.e., age at measurement). Relative age has no significant effect on the Grit perseverance of effort subscale, and a positive effect on the Grit consistency of interest subscale of 0.21 standard deviations per year (σ). In contrast, absolute age has a positive effect of 0.09σ on perseverance of effort and a negative effect of −0.13σ on consistency of interest. Thus, measured perseverance of effort increases with absolute age but not with relative age, whereas measured consistency of interest increases with relative age and decreases to a lesser extent with absolute age. We discuss possible explanations for and implications of these age effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Peña, Pablo A. & Duckworth, Angela L., 2018. "The effects of relative and absolute age in the measurement of grit from 9th to 12th grade," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 183-190.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:66:y:2018:i:c:p:183-190
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.08.009
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    Cited by:

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    2. Fumarco, Luca & Hartmann, Sven A. & Principe, Francesco, 2024. "A Neglected Determinant of Eating Behaviors: Relative Age," IZA Discussion Papers 16920, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Fumarco, L. & Baert, S. & Sarracino, F., 2020. "Younger, dissatisfied, and unhealthy – Relative age in adolescence," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    4. Fumarco, Luca & Baert, Stijn, 2019. "Relative age effect on European adolescents’ social network," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 318-337.
    5. Shintaro Yamaguchi & Hirotake Ito & Makiko Nakamuro, 2020. "Month-of-Birth Effects on Skills and Skill Formation," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2015, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    6. He, Xinyue & Wang, Huan & Chang, Fang & Dill, Sarah-Eve & Liu, Han & Tang, Bin & Shi, Yaojiang, 2021. "IQ, grit, and academic achievement: Evidence from rural China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    7. Heleen Hofmeyr, 2020. "Perseverance, Passion, and Poverty: Examining the association between grit and reading achievement in high-poverty schools," Working Papers 06/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    8. Peña, Pablo A., 2020. "Relative age and investment in human capital," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Mariagrazia Cavallo & Giuseppe Russo, 2020. "Reading Performance and Math Performance of Second-Generation Children in Italy," CSEF Working Papers 554, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    10. Antonio Abatemarco & Mariagrazia Cavallo & Immacolata Marino & Giuseppe Russo, 2020. "Age Effects in Primary Education: A Double Disadvantage for Second-Generation Immigrants," CSEF Working Papers 567, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy, revised 30 Jul 2021.
    11. Yamaguchi, Shintaro & Ito, Hirotake & Nakamuro, Makiko, 2023. "Month-of-Birth Effects on Skills and Skill Formation," IZA Discussion Papers 15895, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Yamaguchi, Shintaro & Ito, Hirotake & Nakamuro, Makiko, 2023. "Month-of-birth effects on skills and skill formation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    13. YAMAGUCHI Shintaro & ITO Hirotake & NAKAMURO Makiko, 2020. "Month-of-Birth Effects on Skills and Skill Formation," Discussion papers 20079, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Hofmeyr, Heleen, 2021. "Perseverance, passion and poverty: Examining the association between grit and reading achievement in high-poverty schools in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Cook, Philip J. & Kang, Songman, 2020. "Girls to the front: How redshirting and test-score gaps are affected by a change in the school-entry cut date," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    16. Shintaro Yamaguchi & Hirotake Ito & Makiko Nakamuro, 2020. "Month-of-Birth Effects on Skills and Skill Formation," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1153, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Age at test; Relative age; School-starting age; Grit; Socioemotional skills; Mexico;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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