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The Polygenic Risk Score of Subjective Well-Being, Self-Employment, and Earnings Among Older Individuals

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  • Pankaj C. Patel
  • Cornelius A. Rietveld
  • Marcus T. Wolfe
  • Johan Wiklund

Abstract

We investigate whether the polygenic risk score (PRS) of subjective well-being (SWB), a weighted combination of multiple genetic variants which captures an individual’s time-invariant genetic predisposition to SWB, influences the choice of self-employment and whether it explains differences in earnings between older self-employed and employed workers. In a sample of 4,571 individuals (50 to 65 years old) representing 14,937 individual-year observations from the Health and Retirement Study, we find that the PRS of SWB is positively associated with self-employment and earnings. However, contrary to our expectations, the positive association with earnings is not significantly different between self-employed and employed individuals.

Suggested Citation

  • Pankaj C. Patel & Cornelius A. Rietveld & Marcus T. Wolfe & Johan Wiklund, 2021. "The Polygenic Risk Score of Subjective Well-Being, Self-Employment, and Earnings Among Older Individuals," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(2), pages 440-466, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:45:y:2021:i:2:p:440-466
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258720936984
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