Paul Hufe, University of Bristol
Genetic Endowments, Educational Outcomes and the Mediating Influence of School Investments
Abstract
Genetic endowments are fixed at conception and matter for the educational attainment of individuals. Do investments in schooling environments cushion or magnify the outcomes of this genetic lottery? Using data from a representative sample of US adolescents, we analyze the interdependent associations of genetic endowments, teacher quality and teacher quantity with educational attainment. Our results suggest that higher-quality teachers act as substitutes for genetic endowments: a 1 SD increase in teacher quality reduces the positive association of educational attainment with a 1 SD increase in the relevant polygenic score from 0.37 to 0.30 years—a decrease of 19%. In particular, high-quality teachers increase the probability that genetically disadvantaged students complete college. This increase is underpinned by gains in health, language ability, patience, and risk aversion.
Paul Hufe is Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the University of Bristol and affiliated with IZA and CESifo.
He holds a PH.D. from LMU (University of Munich) and has been visiting Cornell University, Princeton University, and FAIR at NHH Bergen.
His research interests lies at the intersection of public, labor and normative economics. Under the overarching theme of equality of opportunity my research agenda is driven by two main objectives.
First, he aims to strengthen the methodological toolkit that is used to quantify the extent of inequality of opportunity in current societies. Thereby, my work connects to the literature branches on intergenerational mobility and inequality measurement.
Second, he aims to contribute to our understanding of which circumstantial life factors cause the unequal distribution of life chances. Thereby, his work connects to the literature branches on early childhood development, and skill formation.
You can read more about Paul Hufe here
CEBI contact: Miriam Wust and Sonja Settele