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The effects of prenatal testosterone on wages: Evidence from Russia

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  • Nye, John V.C.
  • Bryukhanov, Maksym
  • Kochergina, Ekaterina
  • Orel, Ekaterina
  • Polyachenko, Sergiy
  • Yudkevich, Maria
Abstract
Is in utero exposure to testosterone correlated with earnings? The question matters for understanding determinants of wage differences that have attracted so much attention among economists in the past decade. Evidence indicates that markers for early testosterone exposure are correlated with traits like risk-taking and aggressiveness. But it is not at all clear how such findings might map into labor market success. We combine unique data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey with measured markers (2D:4D ratios) for testosterone exposure and find that lower digit ratios (higher T) correlate with higher wages for women and for men, when controlling for age, education and occupation. There is also some evidence of a potential non-linear, inverse U-effect of digit ratios on wages but this is sensitive to choice of specification. These findings are consistent with earlier work on prenatal T and success in careers (Coates et al., 2009) but inconsistent with the work of Gielen et al. (2016) who find differing effects for men and women.

Suggested Citation

  • Nye, John V.C. & Bryukhanov, Maksym & Kochergina, Ekaterina & Orel, Ekaterina & Polyachenko, Sergiy & Yudkevich, Maria, 2017. "The effects of prenatal testosterone on wages: Evidence from Russia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 43-60.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:24:y:2017:i:c:p:43-60
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2016.11.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fossen, Frank M. & Neyse, Levent & Johannesson, Magnus & Dreber Almenberg, Anna, 2020. "2D:4D and Self-Employment Using SOEP Data: A Replication Study," IZA Discussion Papers 13180, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Candelo, Natalia & Eckel, Catherine, 2018. "The 2D:4D ratio does not always correlate with economic behavior: A field experiment with African-Americans," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 172-181.
    3. Frank M. Fossen & Levent Neyse & Magnus Johannesson & Anna Dreber, 2022. "2D:4D and Self-Employment: A Preregistered Replication Study in a Large General Population Sample," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(1), pages 21-43, January.
    4. Finley, Brian & Kalwij, Adriaan & Kapteyn, Arie, 2022. "Born to be wild: Second-to-fourth digit length ratio and risk preferences," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    5. da Silva, Eduardo Borges & Silva, Thiago Christiano & Constantino, Michel & Amancio, Diego Raphael & Tabak, Benjamin Miranda, 2020. "Overconfidence and the 2D:4D ratio," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    6. Hughes, Amanda & Kumari, Meena, 2019. "Testosterone, risk, and socioeconomic position in British men: Exploring causal directionality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 129-140.
    7. Eibich, Peter & Kanabar, Ricky & Plum, Alexander & Schmied, Julian, 2022. "In and out of unemployment—Labour market transitions and the role of testosterone," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    In utero; Testosterone; 2D:4D; Wages; Russia;
    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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