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Age at pubertal onset and educational outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Dreber, Anna

    (Institute for Financial Research (SIFR), Stockholm)

  • von Essen, Emma

    (Dept. of Economics, Stockholm University)

  • Ranehill, Eva

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

Education has important short and long run implications for individual outcomes. In this paper we explore the association between age at pubertal onset and educational outcomes in a sample of Swedish girls. Previous research suggests that girls that mature earlier perform worse in school compared to girls that mature later. To test if this is also true among Swedish girls, we investigate the association between pubertal development and grades, educational aspirations and educational choice. We also investigate whether changes in risk attitudes, time preferences and priorities concerning school versus friends mediate this potential correlation. We confirm that earlier maturing girls have lower grades and lower educational aspirations, but find that they make educational choices similar to those of later maturing girls. Furthermore, we do not find that these differences in grades and aspirations are mediated by risk attitudes, time preferences or priorities.

Suggested Citation

  • Dreber, Anna & von Essen, Emma & Ranehill, Eva, 2011. "Age at pubertal onset and educational outcomes," Research Papers in Economics 2011:26, Stockholm University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sunrpe:2011_0026
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    File URL: http://www2.ne.su.se/paper/wp11_26.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Koerselman, Kristian & Pekkarinen, Tuomas, 2017. "The Timing of Puberty and Gender Differences in Educational Achievement," IZA Discussion Papers 10889, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    educational outcomes; puberty; pubertal timing; grades;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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