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The Economic Consequences of being Left-handed - Some Sinister Results

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Author Info
Kevin Denny (University College Dublin)
Vincent O'Sullivan (University College Dublin)

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Abstract

This paper provides the first estimates of the effects of handedness on hourly earnings using data on a sample of 33 year olds in the United Kingdom. Augmenting a conventional earnings equation with indicators of left handedness shows there is a well determined positive effect on male earnings with non-manual workers enjoying a slightly larger premium once we allow for non random selection into occupation. This is not consistent with the view that left-handers in general are in some sense handicapped either being innately or through experiencing a world geared towards right-handers. It is consistent with the popular notion of left- handers having particular talents such as enhanced creativity. The results for females however reveal the opposite, left-handed females are paid significantly less.

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File URL: http://www.ucd.ie/economics/research/papers/2004/WP04.22.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function: First version, 2004
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by School Of Economics, University College Dublin in its series Working Papers with number 200422.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: 02 Jul 2004
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:200422

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Postal: UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4
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Web page: http://www.ucd.ie/economics
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Related research
Keywords: earnings; brain; left-handed;

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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. Hamermesh, Daniel S & Biddle, Jeff E, 1994. "Beauty and the Labor Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(5), pages 1174-94, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Erik Plug & Peter Berkhout, 2004. "Effects of sexual preferences on earnings in the Netherlands," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 117-131, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Carneiro, Pedro & Heckman, James J., 2003. "Human Capital Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 821, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  4. Griliches, Zvi, 1977. "Estimating the Returns to Schooling: Some Econometric Problems," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 45(1), pages 1-22, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Dearden, Lorraine, 1999. "The effects of families and ability on men's education and earnings in Britain1," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 551-567, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Alan B. Krueger & Mikael Lindahl, 2001. "Education for Growth: Why and for Whom?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(4), pages 1101-1136, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis & Melissa Osborne, 2001. "The Determinants of Earnings: A Behavioral Approach," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(4), pages 1137-1176, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Hungerford, Thomas & Solon, Gary, 1987. "Sheepskin Effects in the Returns to Education," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 69(1), pages 175-77, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Lee, Lung-Fei, 1978. "Unionism and Wage Rates: A Simultaneous Equations Model with Qualitative and Limited Dependent Variables," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 19(2), pages 415-33, June. [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. Paul Frijters & David W. Johnston & Manisha Shah & Michael A. Shields, 2008. "Early Child Development and Maternal Labor Force Participation: Using Handedness as an Instrument," NCER Working Paper Series 27, National Centre for Econometric Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Paul Gregg & Katharina Janke & Carol Propper, 2008. "Handedness and Child Development," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 08/198, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK. [Downloadable!]
  3. David W. Johnston & Manisha Shah & Michael A. Shields, 2007. "Handedness, Time Use and Early Childhood Development," IZA Discussion Papers 2752, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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