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Children's Personality and Its Contribution to School Grades Inequality: Evidence From Mexico

Author

Listed:
  • Alfonso Miranda
  • Yahaira Rodríguez‐Martínez
  • Yu Zhu

Abstract

We explore the relationship between Big‐5 Personality Traits and school grades, using a novel survey of state primary school children in Mexico. Linear school fixed‐effects estimates controlling for household income, principal caregiver's education, IQ, and personality traits indicate that higher conscientiousness and agreeableness consistently and significantly correlate with high school performance in all subjects, net of child's IQ. A regression‐based inequality decomposition shows that a child's personality accounts for 5.1% and 6.5% of the inequality in mathematics for girls and boys, whereas for Spanish, it accounts for 3.9% and 8.0%, respectively. Results are robust to unobservable confounders using Oster bounds.

Suggested Citation

  • Alfonso Miranda & Yahaira Rodríguez‐Martínez & Yu Zhu, 2025. "Children's Personality and Its Contribution to School Grades Inequality: Evidence From Mexico," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 77(2), pages 128-134, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:buecrs:v:77:y:2025:i:2:p:128-134
    DOI: 10.1111/boer.12484
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Emily Oster, 2019. "Unobservable Selection and Coefficient Stability: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 187-204, April.
    2. Shorrocks, A F, 1982. "Inequality Decomposition by Factor Components," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(1), pages 193-211, January.
    3. James Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto & Peter Savelyev, 2013. "Understanding the Mechanisms through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(6), pages 2052-2086, October.
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