Sorting into Career Paths on Personality and Preferences

(with Katharina Adler, Fabian Kosse, and Johannes Rincke)

Abstract: We comprehensively study sorting into career paths on personality and preferences. To do so, we leverage a unique combination of survey and administrative data of several cohorts of students at a large German university. We find extensive sorting along 16 personality and preference measures that persists when controlling for expectations about earnings, own ability, and amenities. This sorting is productive: students whose personality is misaligned with their average peer have a higher likelihood of not completing their degree. Across fields over time, student personality seems rather stable. The sorting into fields of study foreshadows differences in worker personality by occupation.

First draft coming soon!

DFG Research Grant

Preferences in Social Network Formation

(with Celina Högn and Johannes Rincke)

Abstract: Social networks are typically characterized by strong segmentation regarding individual characteristics. We study to what extent homophily in social network formation is driven by preferences for peers carrying similar characteristics, as opposed to common preferences for specific characteristics or sorting. Combining a stated-choice experiment with administrative and survey data, we describe homophily in an emerging network of university students and separately uncover the underlying preferences. We find that the strong homophily observed in our data cannot be explained by homophilous preferences. Observed homophily is rather due to common valuations, making some students generally more sought-after network partners. These students have larger and "better" networks.

First draft coming soon!

AEA RCT #12348

Earnings Expectations of “First-in Family” University Students and Their Role for Major Choice

(with Katharina Adler, Fabian Kosse, and Johannes Rincke)

Abstract: How do students’ earnings expectations differ by being the first in their family to attend university (FiF) and how do they affect field of study choice? We leverage unique survey and administrative data from a German university to document sizable gaps in expected earnings between FiF and non-FiF students. Our data can explain two-thirds of this gap, with the largest share attributable to field of study choice. We show that FiF students sort less into study fields based on their earnings expectations. Investigating potential explanations, we find that they expect lower own ability and worse non-wage amenities in high-earning fields.

IZA Discussion Paper No. 17720, CESifo Working Paper No. 11700

R&R Labour Economics