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The Effects Of Prenatal Testosterone On Adult Wages: Evidence From Russian Rlms Data And Measured 2d:4d Digit Ratios

Author

Listed:
  • John V.C. Nye

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

  • Maria M. Yudkevich

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

  • Ekaterina A. Orel

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

  • Ekaterina V. Kochergina

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

Abstract

There is now a large literature on the correlates of prenatal androgen exposure and various individual measures of performance in sports, business, or schooling. However, there is still relatively limited evidence of the impact of prenatal androgens on life achievement. Using data from the Russian longitudinal survey and measured digit ratios, we found that age-corrected market wages are nonlinearly correlated with low measured 2D:4D ratios signifying higher prenatal testosterone. Unlike earlier work on noncognitive correlates of labor market wages, our findings indicate a clear-cut optimum 2D:4D ratio for women’s wages with higher and lower 2D:4D being associated with lowered wages. However, the size of these effects is small, especially compared to the influence of education on income.

Suggested Citation

  • John V.C. Nye & Maria M. Yudkevich & Ekaterina A. Orel & Ekaterina V. Kochergina, 2014. "The Effects Of Prenatal Testosterone On Adult Wages: Evidence From Russian Rlms Data And Measured 2d:4d Digit Ratios," HSE Working papers WP BRP 71/EC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:71/ec/2014
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Tan, Michelle, 2011. "Noncognitive skills, occupational attainment, and relative wages," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Linz, Susan J. & Semykina, Anastasia, 2009. "Personality traits as performance enhancers? A comparative analysis of workers in Russia, Armenia and Kazakhstan," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 71-91, February.
    3. Groves, Melissa Osborne, 2005. "How important is your personality? Labor market returns to personality for women in the US and UK," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 827-841, December.
    4. John V.C. Nye & Grigory Androuschak & Desirée Desierto & Garett Jones & Maria Yudkevich, 2012. "2D : 4D Asymmetry and Gender Differences in Academic Performance : Evidence from Moscow and Manila," UP School of Economics Discussion Papers 201203, University of the Philippines School of Economics.
    5. James J. Heckman & Jora Stixrud & Sergio Urzua, 2006. "The Effects of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities on Labor Market Outcomes and Social Behavior," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(3), pages 411-482, July.
    6. Erik Lindqvist & Roine Vestman, 2011. "The Labor Market Returns to Cognitive and Noncognitive Ability: Evidence from the Swedish Enlistment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(1), pages 101-128, January.
    7. Semykina, Anastasia & Linz, Susan J., 2007. "Gender differences in personality and earnings: Evidence from Russia," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 387-410, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. John V.C. Nye & Maxim V. Bryukhanov & Sergiy S. Polyachenko, 2014. "2D:4D and Life Outcomes: Evidence from the Russian RMLS Survey," HSE Working papers WP BRP 78/EC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    2. John V. Nye & Maksym Bryukhanov & Sergiy Polyachenko, 2016. "2d:4d and Lifetime Educational Outcomes: Evidence from the Russian RLMS Survey," HSE Working papers WP BRP 145/EC/2016, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Adult wages; Prenatal Testosterone; Female earnings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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