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Tall or Taller, Pretty or Prettier: Is Discrimination Absolute or Relative?

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  • Daniel S. Hamermesh

Abstract

Using several microeconomic data sets from the United States and the Netherlands, and the examples of height and beauty, this study examines whether: 1) Absolute or relative differences in a characteristic are what affect labor-market and other outcomes; and 2) The effects of a characteristic change when all agents acquire more of it--become taller or better-looking. Confronted with a choice among individuals, decision-makers respond more to absolute than to relative differences among them. Also, an increase in the mean of a characteristic's distribution does not alter market responses to differences in it.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2012. "Tall or Taller, Pretty or Prettier: Is Discrimination Absolute or Relative?," NBER Working Papers 18123, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18123
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    Cited by:

    1. Doorley, Karina & Sierminska, Eva, 2012. "Myth or Fact? The Beauty Premium across the Wage Distribution," IZA Discussion Papers 6674, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Mathieu Bunel & Jean-Pascal Guironnet, 2017. "Income inequalities for recently graduated French workers: a multilevel modeling approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 755-778, September.
    3. Coffey, Stephanie & Schwartz, Amy Ellen, 2025. "Towering Intellects? Sizing up the relationship between height and academic success," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    4. Peng, Fei & Kang, Lili & Yang, Xiaocong & Anwar, Sajid, 2025. "Discrimination based on employer preferences: The height premium in China," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 276-297.
    5. Thompson, Kristina & Portrait, France & Schoonmade, Linda, 2023. "The height premium: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    6. Peng, Langchuan & Wang, Xi & Ying, Shanshan, 2020. "The heterogeneity of beauty premium in China: Evidence from CFPS," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 386-396.
    7. Tom Lane, 2020. "Along which identity lines does 21st-century Britain divide? Evidence from Big Brother," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(2), pages 197-222, May.
    8. Lee, Wang-Sheng, 2014. "Big and Tall: Is there a Height Premium or Obesity Penalty in the Labor Market?," IZA Discussion Papers 8606, IZA Network @ LISER.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J78 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Public Policy (including comparable worth)

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