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Height, Human Capital, and Earnings: The Contributions of Cognitive and Noncognitive Ability

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  • Andreas Schick
  • Richard H. Steckel

Abstract

Taller workers receive a substantial premium in earnings or wages, which some studies attribute to noncognitive abilities or social skills that are correlated with stature and rewarded in the labor market. Recent research argues that cognitive abilities explain the relationship. This paper reconciles the competing views by recognizing that net nutrition, a major determinant of adult height, fosters both cognitive and noncognitive abilities. Using data from Britain's National Childhood Development Study, we show that taller children have higher average cognitive and noncognitive test scores and that each aptitude accounts for a substantial and roughly equal portion of the stature-earnings premium. Together, cognitive and noncognitive abilities explain the height premium.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Schick & Richard H. Steckel, 2015. "Height, Human Capital, and Earnings: The Contributions of Cognitive and Noncognitive Ability," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(1), pages 94-115.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jhucap:doi:10.1086/679675
    DOI: 10.1086/679675
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Matthias Blum & Christopher L. Colvin & Eoin McLaughlin, 2017. "Scarring and Selection in the Great Irish Famine," Discussion Papers in Environment and Development Economics 2017-10, University of St. Andrews, School of Geography and Sustainable Development.
    3. Mark E. McGovern & Aditi Krishna & Victor M. Aguayo & S.V. Subramanian, 2017. "A Review of the Evidence Linking Child Stunting to Economic Outcomes," CHaRMS Working Papers 17-03, Centre for HeAlth Research at the Management School (CHaRMS).
    4. Dawid Gondek & Ke Ning & George B Ploubidis & Bilal Nasim & Alissa Goodman, 2018. "The impact of health on economic and social outcomes in the United Kingdom: A scoping literature review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Hellyer, Joshua & Hellriegel, Emily & Gereke, Johanna & Schunck, Reinhard, 2023. "Pretty unequal? Immigrant-native differences in returns to physical attractiveness in Germany," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 107-119.
    6. Olivier Gergaud & Victor Ginsburgh & florine Livat, 2016. "Looking Good and Looking Smart," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2016-28, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    7. Michael Baker & Kirsten Cornelson, 2018. "Gender-Based Occupational Segregation and Sex Differences in Sensory, Motor, and Spatial Aptitudes," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(5), pages 1749-1775, October.
    8. Marco-Gracia, Francisco J. & Puche, Javier, 2021. "The association between male height and lifespan in rural Spain, birth cohorts 1835-1939," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    9. LaFave, Daniel & Thomas, Duncan, 2017. "Height and cognition at work: Labor market productivity in a low income setting," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 52-64.
    10. Yuan S. Zhang & Elizabeth Frankenberg & Duncan Thomas, 2024. "Education and Adult Cognition in a Low-income Setting: Differences among Adult Siblings," NBER Working Papers 32362, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Anderson, Peter, 2018. "‘Tall and lithe’–The wage-height premium in the Victorian and Edwardian British railway industry," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 152-162.
    12. Thompson, Kristina & Portrait, France & Schoonmade, Linda, 2023. "The height premium: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    13. Galofré-Vilà, Gregori, 2018. "Growth and maturity: A quantitative systematic review and network analysis in anthropometric history," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 107-118.
    14. Bastani, Spencer & Karlsson, Kristina & Kolsrud, Jonas & Waldenström, Daniel, 2024. "The Capital Advantage: Comparing Returns to Ability in the Labor and Capital Markets," Working Papers in Economics and Statistics 1/2024, Linnaeus University, School of Business and Economics, Department of Economics and Statistics.
    15. Blum, Matthias & McLaughlin, Eoin, 2019. "Living standards and inequality in the industrial revolution: Evidence from the height of University of Edinburgh students in the 1830s," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 185-192.
    16. Borrescio-Higa, Florencia & Bozzoli, Carlos Guillermo & Droller, Federico, 2019. "Early life environment and adult height: The case of Chile," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 134-143.
    17. Joyce J Chen & Katrina Kosec & Valerie Mueller, 2016. "Temporary and Permanent Migrant Selection: Theory and Evidence of Ability–Search Cost Dynamics," Working Papers id:8257, eSocialSciences.
    18. Pinna Pintor, Matteo & Fumagalli, Elena & Suhrcke, Marc, 2024. "The impact of health on labour market outcomes: A rapid systematic review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    19. Nicole Black & Sonja C. de New, 2020. "Short, Heavy and Underrated? Teacher Assessment Biases by Children's Body Size," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 82(5), pages 961-987, October.
    20. Lång, Elisabeth & Nystedt, Paul, 2018. "Two by two, inch by inch: Height as an indicator of environmental conditions during childhood and its influence on earnings over the life cycle among twins," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 53-66.
    21. Wentao Si & Qi Yan & Wenshu Wang & Lin Meng & Maocong Zhang, 2022. "Research on the Influence of Non-Cognitive Ability and Social Support Perception on College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-23, September.
    22. Francisco J. Marco-Gracia & Margarita López-Antón, 2021. "Rethinking the Fertility Transition in Rural Aragón (Spain) Using Height Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-28, August.

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