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Childhood sporting activities and adult labour-market outcomes

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  • Cabane, Charlotte
  • Clark, Andrew E.

Abstract

We here ask whether sports participation at school is positively correlated with adult labour-market outcomes. There are many potential channels for this effect, although, as usual, identifying a causal relationship is difficult. We appeal to two widely-separated waves of Add Health data to map out the correlation between school sports and adult labour-market outcomes. We show that different types of school sports are associated with different types of jobs and labour-market insertion when adult. We take the issue of the endogeneity of sport seriously and use data on siblings in order to obtain estimates that are as close to unbiased as possible. Last, we compare the effect of sporting activities to that of other leisure activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Cabane, Charlotte & Clark, Andrew E., 2013. "Childhood sporting activities and adult labour-market outcomes," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121793, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:121793
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Which childhood sport is more promising for labor market outcomes
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2011-12-07 21:42:00
    2. The dark side of sport
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2011-12-15 21:06:34
    3. Why teach sport?
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2012-08-13 18:06:39
    4. Gender, competition & boardrooms
      by ? in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2013-08-16 19:10:00

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Cabane, Charlotte & Hille, Adrian & Lechner, Michael, 2015. "Mozart or Pelé? The effects of teenagers’ participation in music and sports," Economics Working Paper Series 1509, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    2. Barbara Kotschwar & Kevin Stahler, 2016. "Level the Playing Field to Bolster the Boardroom: Sports as a Springboard for Women's Labor Force Advancement in Asia," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 11(1), pages 117-134, January.
    3. Cabane Charlotte & Lechner Michael, 2015. "Physical Activity of Adults: A Survey of Correlates, Determinants, and Effects," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 235(4-5), pages 376-402, August.
    4. Thierry Kamionka, 2021. "Sporting Activity, Employment Status and Wage," Post-Print hal-03294084, HAL.
    5. Lechner, Michael & Hille, Adrian & Cabane, Charlotte, 2015. "Mozart or Pelé? The effects of teenagers? participation in music and sports," CEPR Discussion Papers 10556, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Geraint Johnes, 2018. "A sporting chance: on the impact of sports participation on subsequent earnings," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(1), pages 146-151.
    7. Lunn, Peter D. & Kelly, Elish, 2015. "Participation in school sport and post-school pathways: evidence from ireland," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 232, pages 51-66, May.
    8. Élise Coudin & Arthur Souletie, 2016. "Obésité et marché du travail : les impacts de la corpulence sur l’emploi et le salaire," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 486(1), pages 79-102.
    9. Cabane, Charlotte & Hille, Adrian & Lechner, Michael, 2016. "Mozart or Pelé? The effects of adolescents' participation in music and sports," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 90-103.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    job characteristics; education; sport; school; wellbeing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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