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Can Risk Aversion Explain Schooling Attainments? Evidence From Italy

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Author Info
Christian Belzil () (GATE CNRS)
Marco Leonardi (Università di Milano)

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Abstract

Using unique Italian panel data, in which individual differences in behavior toward risk are measured from answers to a lottery question, we investigate if (and to what extent) risk aversion can explain differences in schooling attainments. We formulate the schooling decision process as a reduced-form dynamic discrete choice. The model is estimated with a degree of flexibility virtually compatible with semiparametric likelihood techniques. We analyze how grade transition from one level to the next varies with preference heterogeneity (risk aversion), parental human capital, socioeconomic variables and persistent unobserved (to the econometrician) heterogeneity. We present evidence that schooling attainments decrease with risk aversion, but despite a statistically significant effect, differences in attitudes toward risk account for a modest portion of the probability of entering higher education. Differences in ability(ies) and in parental human capital are much more important. in the most general version of the model, the likelihood function is the joint probability of schooling attainments, and post-schooling wealth and risk aversion.

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Paper provided by Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE), Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Université Lyon 2, Ecole Normale Supérieure in its series Working Papers with number 0607.

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Length: 38 pages
Date of creation: Oct 2006
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Handle: RePEc:gat:wpaper:0607

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Related research
Keywords: dynamic discrete choices; éducation; human capital; risk aversion;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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Cited by:
(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. Brodaty, Thomas & Gary-Bobo, Robert J. & Prieto, Ana, 2006. "Risk Aversion and Human Capital Investment: A Structural Econometric Model," CEPR Discussion Papers 5694, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Budria, Santiago & Diaz-Serrano, Luis & Ferrer-i-Carbonell, Ada & Hartog, Joop, 2009. "Risk Attitude and Wage Growth: Replication and Reconstruction," IZA Discussion Papers 4124, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  3. Paolo Buonanno & Dario Pozzoli, 2007. "Risk Aversion and College Subject," Working Papers 0707, University of Bergamo, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Checchi, Daniele & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Leonardi, Marco, 2008. "Intergenerational Persistence in Educational Attainment in Italy," IZA Discussion Papers 3622, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  5. Santi Budria & Luis Diaz-Serrano & Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell & Joop Hartog, 2009. "Risk Attitudes and Wage Growth: Replication and Reconstruction," SOEPpapers 192, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). [Downloadable!]
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