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Stature, Skills and Adult Life Outcomes: Evidence from Indonesia

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  • Olivier Bargain

    (Aix-Marseille University (Aix-Marseille School of Economics), CNRS & EHESS)

  • Jinan Zeidan

    (Aix-Marseille University (Aix-Marseille School of Economics), CNRS & EHESS)

Abstract

We investigate the effect of height on earnings, occupational choices and a subjective measure of well-being among Indonesian men. We explore the extent to which height captures the effects of human capital endowments set before entry on the labor market. Cognitive skills, co-determined with stature early in life, do not explain much of the height earnings premium directly. Yet, human capital more broadly, including cognition, educational attainment and other factors related to parental investments and background characteristics, explains around half of the height premium and does so through occupational sorting. Indeed, taller workers tend to have more education, and educated workers tend to work in more lucrative occupations that require brain and social skills, not brawn. The unexplained share of the height earnings premium reflects other labor market advantages of taller workers, including psycho-social dimensions. We also find a height premium in happiness, half of which simply accounts for the educational and earnings advantages of taller workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Olivier Bargain & Jinan Zeidan, 2014. "Stature, Skills and Adult Life Outcomes: Evidence from Indonesia," AMSE Working Papers 1429, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France, revised 07 Jul 2014.
    • Handle: RePEc:aim:wpaimx:1429
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    Cited by:

    1. Bossavie, Laurent & Alderman, Harold & Giles, John & Mete, Cem, 2021. "The effect of height on earnings: Is stature just a proxy for cognitive and non-cognitive skills?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    2. Niken Kusumawardhani & Daniel Suryadarma & Luca Tiberti & Veto Tyas Indrio, "undated". "What Skills Lead to Entrepreneurial Success? Evidence from Non-Farm-Household Enterprises in Indonesia," Working Papers 1971, Publications Department.
    3. Kunto, Yohanes Sondang & Mandemakers, Jornt J., 2019. "The effects of prenatal exposure to Ramadan on stature during childhood and adolescence: Evidence from the Indonesian Family Life Survey," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 29-39.
    4. Thompson, Kristina & Portrait, France & Schoonmade, Linda, 2023. "The height premium: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    5. Selina Bruns & Bernhard Dalheimer & Oliver Musshoff, 2022. "The effect of cognitive function on the poor's economic performance: Evidence from Cambodian smallholder farmers," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(3), pages 468-480, May.
    6. Phadera, Lokendra, 2021. "Unfortunate Moms and Unfortunate Children: Impact of the Nepali Civil War on Women's Stature and Intergenerational Health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Niken Kusumawardhani & Daniel Suryadarma & Luca Tiberti & Veto Tyas Indrio, "undated". "Keterampilan Apa yang Mendukung Kesuksesan Berwirausaha? Bukti dari Usaha Rumah Tangga Nonpertanian di Indonesia," Working Papers 3527, Publications Department.
    8. Nazim Habibov & Alena Auchynnikava & Rong Luo, 2021. "Does the height to entrepreneurship nexus have two stages? New evidence from 27 nations," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 11(1), pages 141-152, December.

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    Keywords

    height; cognitive skills; physical skills; childhood conditions; earnings; occupation; happiness;
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