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Cross-national differences in social background effects on educational attainment and achievement: absolute vs. relative inequalities and the role of education systems

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  • Heisig, Jan Paul
  • Elbers, Benjamin
  • Solga, Heike

Abstract

We use PIAAC data to study the relationship between parental education and educational success among adults from 23 advanced economies. We consider educational success in terms of both educational attainment (formal qualifications) and educational achievement (competencies) and in both absolute and relative terms (i.e. as the individual’s rank in the distribution of educational success). Parental education effects are stronger for educational attainment than for achievement in all countries. Cross-national variation in the strength of social background effects follows broadly similar patterns for the different ways of measuring success, but a few countries combine relatively strong achievement with relatively weak attainment effects and vice versa. Tracking in secondary education is associated with stronger background effects for educational attainment but not for achievement. Greater prevalence of formal (non-formal) AET is associated with stronger (weaker) background effects for both attainment and achievement, while vocational orientation of upper secondary education does not matter much.

Suggested Citation

  • Heisig, Jan Paul & Elbers, Benjamin & Solga, Heike, 2020. "Cross-national differences in social background effects on educational attainment and achievement: absolute vs. relative inequalities and the role of education systems," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 50(2), pages 165-184.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:207007
    DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2019.1677455
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hanushek, Eric A. & Schwerdt, Guido & Wiederhold, Simon & Woessmann, Ludger, 2015. "Returns to skills around the world: Evidence from PIAAC," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 103-130.
    2. Heisig, Jan Paul & Solga, Heike, 2015. "Secondary Education Systems and the General Skills of Less- and Intermediate-educated Adults: A Comparison of 18 Countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 88(3), pages 202-225.
    3. Heisig, Jan Paul & Schaeffer, Merlin, 2019. "Why You Should Always Include a Random Slope for the Lower-Level Variable Involved in a Cross-Level Interaction," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 35(2), pages 258-279.
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    Cited by:

    1. Flaviana Palmisano & Federico Biagi & Vito Peragine, 2022. "Inequality of Opportunity in Tertiary Education: Evidence from Europe," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 63(3), pages 514-565, May.
    2. Heisig, Jan Paul & Matthewes, Sönke Hendrik, 2021. "No evidence for positive effects of strict tracking and cognitive homogenization on student performance: A critical reanalysis of Esser and Seuring (2020)," SocArXiv x92mg, Center for Open Science.
    3. Jonathan Wai & Stephen M. Anderson & Kaja Perina & Frank C. Worrell & Christopher F. Chabris, 2024. "The most successful and influential Americans come from a surprisingly narrow range of ‘elite’ educational backgrounds," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Heisig, Jan Paul & Matthewes, Sönke Hendrik, 2022. "No Evidence that Strict Educational Tracking Improves Student Performance through Classroom Homogeneity: A Critical Reanalysis of Esser and Seuring (2020) [Keine Belege für leistungsfördernde Effek," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 51(1), pages 99-111.

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