Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/263391 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15175
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
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.
Subjects: 
population-representative evidence
Brief Self-Control Scale
determinants of self-control
German division
quasi-experiments
compulsory schooling reforms
JEL: 
D90
C26
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
821.24 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.