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Sources of Inequality at Birth: The Interplay Between Genes and Parental Socioeconomic Status

Author

Listed:
  • Pietro Biroli

    (University of Zurich)

  • Nicolau Martin-Bassols

    (University of Bologna)

  • Andries Marees

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Hans van Kippersluis

    (Erasmus University)

  • Cornelius Rietveld

    (Erasmus University)

  • Pia Arce

    (University of Zurich)

  • Kevin Thom

    (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

  • Stephanie von Hinke

    (University of Bristol, Erasmus University, and Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Jeremy Vollen

    (University of Zurich)

  • Titus Galama

    (University of Southern California)

Abstract

The start of a human’s life can be characterized by two lotteries: that of your genes (nature) and the family you were born into (nurture). These set in motion a trajectory, from birth onward, in health and human capital. Leveraging three longitudinal socialscience data sets, we systematically analyze the relationship between an individual’s genotype, the socioeconomic status (SES) of the families they grew up in, and their realized traits in adulthood. We proxy an individual’s genetic predisposition by polygenic indexes (PGIs) and family SES by a latent factor of parental education and father’s (former) occupational status. We then investigate how PGIs, parental SES, and their interaction contribute to later-life outcomes across a range of forty-five socioeconomic, anthropometric, health, behavioral, and personality traits. We find strong genetic and socioeconomic associations with these phenotypes, but no evidence of sizable gene-environment interactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Pietro Biroli & Nicolau Martin-Bassols & Andries Marees & Hans van Kippersluis & Cornelius Rietveld & Pia Arce & Kevin Thom & Stephanie von Hinke & Jeremy Vollen & Titus Galama, 2026. "Sources of Inequality at Birth: The Interplay Between Genes and Parental Socioeconomic Status," Working Papers 2026-007, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2026-007
    Note: ECI, HI
    as

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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Biroli_Martin-Bassols_Marees_etal_2026_sources-inequ-birth.pdf
    File Function: First version, April 2026
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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