Working Paper Series,
Research Institute of Industrial Economics

Abstract: We use data from the military enlistment for a large representative sample of Swedish men to assess the importance of cognitive and noncognitive ability for labor market outcomes. The measure of noncognitive ability is based on a personal interview conducted by a psychologist. Unlike survey-based measures of noncognitive ability, this measure is a substantially stronger predictor of labor market outcomes than cognitive ability. In particular, we find strong evidence that men who fare badly in the labor market in the sense of long-term unemployment or low annual earnings lack noncognitive but not cognitive ability. We point to a technological explanation for this result. Noncognitive ability is an important determinant of productivity irrespective of occupation or ability level, though it seems to be of particular importance for workers in a managerial position. In contrast, cognitive ability is valuable only for men in qualified occupations. As a result, noncognitive ability is more important for men at the verge of being priced out of the labor market.

Keywords: Personality; Noncognitive ability; Cognitive ability; Intelligence; Human capital

JEL-codes: J21; J24; J31

Language: English

58 pages, March 26, 2009

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Published as

Erik Lindqvist and Roine Vestman, (2011), 'The Labor Market Returns to Cognitive and Noncognitive Ability: Evidence from the Swedish Enlistment', American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol 3, no 1, pages 101-128

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