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Behind Every High Earning Man is a Conscientious Woman: The Impact of Spousal Personality on Earnings and Marriage

Author

Listed:
  • Susan L. Averett

    (Lafayette College and IZA)

  • Cynthia Bansak

    (St. Lawrence University and IZA)

  • Julie K. Smith

    (Lafayette College)

Abstract

Using three waves (2005, 2009 and 2013) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA), and linear regression and probit analyses, we examined the relationship between personality and own earnings, spousal earnings, and marriage. Specifically, we were interested in whether an individual’s personality traits re predictive of these three outcomes. As part of these analyses, we first established that adult personality was stable diminishing the probability of reverse causality. Our empirical results confirmed previous findings on the effect of own personality on own earnings. We then turned to the effect of spousal personality on earnings, the first study to examine this by gender. Regression estimates indicated that for men, having a conscientious wife was positively correlated with his earnings. There was some evidence that having an extraverted husband complement a woman’s earnings. These results highlight the importance of non-cognitive skills on earnings and emphasize the value of looking separately by gender. We also found that personality traits played an important factor in how people match in the marriage market, underscoring an important link between the marriage market and the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan L. Averett & Cynthia Bansak & Julie K. Smith, 2021. "Behind Every High Earning Man is a Conscientious Woman: The Impact of Spousal Personality on Earnings and Marriage," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 29-46, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:42:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10834-020-09692-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-020-09692-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Ann Evans, 2021. "Reflecting on 21 Years of the HILDA Survey," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 462-468, December.

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