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The Role of Noncognitive Skills in Explaining Cognitive Test Scores

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Author Info
Borghans Lex
Meijers Huub
Weel Bas ter (ROA rm)

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Abstract

AbstractThis paper examines whether noncognitive skills — measures both by personality traits andeconomic preference parameters — influence cognitive tests performance. The basic idea isthat noncognitive skills might affect the effort people put into a test to obtain good results. We experimentally varied the rewards for questions in a cognitive test to measure to what extent people are sensitive to financial incentives. To distinguish increased mental effort from extra time investments we also varied the question’ time constraints. Subjects withfavorable personality traits such as high performance-motivation and an internal locus of control perform relatively well in the absence of rewards; consistent with a model in which trying as hard as you can is the best strategy. In contrast, favorable economic preference parameters (low discount rate, low risk aversion) are associated with increases in time investments when incentives are introduced, consistent with a rational economic model in which people only invest when there are monetary returns. The main conclusion is that individual behavior at cognitive tests depends on noncognitive skills.

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Paper provided by Maastricht : ROA, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market in its series Research Memoranda with number 006.

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Date of creation: 2006
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Handle: RePEc:dgr:umaror:2006006

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Keywords: education; training and the labour market;

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This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Shane Frederick & George Loewenstein & Ted O'Donoghue, 2002. "Time Discounting and Time Preference: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 351-401, June.
  2. Shane Frederick, 2005. "Cognitive Reflection and Decision Making," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 19(4), pages 25-42, Fall. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. James J. Heckman & Yona Rubinstein, 2001. "The Importance of Noncognitive Skills: Lessons from the GED Testing Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 145-149, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Dohmen, Thomas J & Falk, Armin & Huffman, David & Sunde, Uwe, 2007. "Are Risk Aversion and Impatience Related to Cognitive Ability?," CEPR Discussion Papers 6398, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Stefanie Behncke, 2009. "How Do Shocks to Non-Cognitive Skills Affect Test Scores?," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2009 2009-11, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Ozkan Eren & Ozan Sula, 2009. "The Effect of Ability on Young Men’s Self-Employment Decision: Evidence from the NELS," Working Papers 0913, University of Nevada, Las Vegas , Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Weinberg, Bruce A. & Borghans, Lex & Weel, Bas ter, 2006. "Interpersonal Styles and Labor Market Outcomes," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 045, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Flavio Cunha & James J. Heckman, 2009. "The Economics and Psychology of Inequality and Human Development," NBER Working Papers 14695, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Carmit Segal, 2006. "Motivation, Test Scores, and Economic Success," Economics Working Papers 1124, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Oct 2008. [Downloadable!]
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