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The Determinants of Population Self-Control

Author

Listed:
  • Cobb-Clark, Deborah A.

    (University of Sydney)

  • Dahmann, Sarah C.

    (University of Melbourne)

  • Kamhöfer, Daniel A.

    (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)

  • Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods)

Abstract
This paper demonstrates that structural factors can shape people's self-control. We study the determinants of adult self-control using population-representative data and exploiting two sources of quasi-experimental variation-Germany's division and compulsory schooling reforms. We find that former East Germans have substantially higher levels of self-control than West Germans and provide evidence for suppression as a possible underlying mechanism. An increase in compulsory schooling had no causal effect on self-control. Moreover, we find that self-control increases linearly with age. In contrast to previous findings for children, there is no gender gap in adult self-control and family background does not predict self-control.

Suggested Citation

  • Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Dahmann, Sarah C. & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2022. "The Determinants of Population Self-Control," IZA Discussion Papers 15175, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15175
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    Cited by:

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    2. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Dahmann, Sarah C. & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2023. "Self-control and unhealthy body weight: The role of impulsivity and restraint," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    3. Mario Lackner & Hendrik Sonnabend, 2022. "The older the wiser? Determinants of misbehaviour in team contests," Economics working papers 2022-11, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    determinants of self-control; Brief Self-Control Scale; population-representative evidence; German division; quasi-experiments; compulsory schooling reforms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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