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Research ArticleArticle

The Intergenerational Transmission of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities

Erik Grönqvist, Björn Öckert and Jonas Vlachos
Journal of Human Resources, October 2017, 52 (4) 887-918; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.52.4.0115-6882R1
Erik Grönqvist
Erik Grönqvist is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Björn Öckert is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Jonas Vlachos is a professor at the Department of Economics at Stockholm University and the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN). We have benefitted from comments and suggestions from the referees, Nikolay Angelov, Peter Fredriksson, Per Johansson, Mikael Lindahl, Matthew Lindquist, Erik Lindqvist, Petter Lundborg, Per Pettersson-Lidbom, Martin Nybom, Erik Plug, Analia Schlosser, Peter Skogman-Thoursie, Ingeborg Wärnbaum, and seminar participants at the EEEPE conference in London, the EALE-SOLE meetings in London, UCLS workshop in Öregrund, ELE workshop in Sitges, the National Conference of Swedish Economists in Lund, the Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU), the Research Institute for Industrial Economics (IFN), Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW), CAFO Linnaeus University, Lund University, Aarhus University, and Tel Aviv University.
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Björn Öckert
Erik Grönqvist is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Björn Öckert is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Jonas Vlachos is a professor at the Department of Economics at Stockholm University and the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN). We have benefitted from comments and suggestions from the referees, Nikolay Angelov, Peter Fredriksson, Per Johansson, Mikael Lindahl, Matthew Lindquist, Erik Lindqvist, Petter Lundborg, Per Pettersson-Lidbom, Martin Nybom, Erik Plug, Analia Schlosser, Peter Skogman-Thoursie, Ingeborg Wärnbaum, and seminar participants at the EEEPE conference in London, the EALE-SOLE meetings in London, UCLS workshop in Öregrund, ELE workshop in Sitges, the National Conference of Swedish Economists in Lund, the Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU), the Research Institute for Industrial Economics (IFN), Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW), CAFO Linnaeus University, Lund University, Aarhus University, and Tel Aviv University.
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Jonas Vlachos
Erik Grönqvist is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Björn Öckert is a researcher at the Institute For Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU) and the Department of Economics at Uppsala University. Jonas Vlachos is a professor at the Department of Economics at Stockholm University and the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN). We have benefitted from comments and suggestions from the referees, Nikolay Angelov, Peter Fredriksson, Per Johansson, Mikael Lindahl, Matthew Lindquist, Erik Lindqvist, Petter Lundborg, Per Pettersson-Lidbom, Martin Nybom, Erik Plug, Analia Schlosser, Peter Skogman-Thoursie, Ingeborg Wärnbaum, and seminar participants at the EEEPE conference in London, the EALE-SOLE meetings in London, UCLS workshop in Öregrund, ELE workshop in Sitges, the National Conference of Swedish Economists in Lund, the Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU), the Research Institute for Industrial Economics (IFN), Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW), CAFO Linnaeus University, Lund University, Aarhus University, and Tel Aviv University.
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Abstract

We study the intergenerational transmission of cognitive and noncognitive abilities using population data and correct for measurement error in abilities using two sets of instruments. The results show that previous estimates are biased downward and that once measurement error is corrected for, the correlation in noncognitive ability is close to that of cognitive ability. By considering both parents, intergenerational ability correlations account for a substantial portion of the sibling correlation. Using adoptees, we find that the social impact of maternal abilities is more important than paternal abilities. Children’s educational attainment and labor market outcomes are strongly related to parents’ cognitive and noncognitive abilities.

  • Received January 2015.
  • Accepted June 2016.

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Journal of Human Resources: 52 (4)
Journal of Human Resources
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2 Oct 2017
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The Intergenerational Transmission of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities
Erik Grönqvist, Björn Öckert, Jonas Vlachos
Journal of Human Resources Oct 2017, 52 (4) 887-918; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.52.4.0115-6882R1

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The Intergenerational Transmission of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities
Erik Grönqvist, Björn Öckert, Jonas Vlachos
Journal of Human Resources Oct 2017, 52 (4) 887-918; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.52.4.0115-6882R1
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