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Abstract:
This paper analyses whether taller workers earn more than their shorter counterparts. Using GSOEP data from 1991 to 2002, earnings functions are estimated for male and female workers for both West and East Germany. The Hausman-Taylor IV estimator is applied to account for unobservable heterogeneity including also time-invariant indicators. The results do not imply wage differentials based on height for female workers and male East German workers. For the height range up to 195 cm there is, however, a wage premium associated with stature for male workers from West Germany of about 4 per cent for each additional standard deviation increment in height.

Abstract:
This paper analyzes whether taller workers earn more than their shorter counterparts. Using GSOEP data from 1991 To 2002, earnings functions are estimated for mail and female workers for both West and East German regions. The Hausman-Taylor IV Estimator is applied to account for unobservable heterogeneity including also time-invariant indicators. The results do not imply wage differentials by height for female workers and male East German workers. For the height range up to 195cm, there, however, is a wage premium associated with stature for male workers from West Germany of about 4% for an additional standard deviation increment in height.

Body height, earnings regressions, Hausman-Taylor IV estimator

Abstract:
This paper explores determinants of church attendance and the formation of "religious human capital" in Germany within a Becker-style allocation-of-time framework. The analysis is based on data derived from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP). Taking advantage of the longitudinal structure of the data, unobservable heterogeneity is controlled for by applying a random-effects ordered probit model to estimate separate attendance equations as well as "faith intensity" equations for males and females. The results suggest support for previous findings based on British and North American data that age is a strong predictor for church attendance. Economic variables account for some of the variation inasmuch as high non-labour income releases time that can be devoted to religious activities. Higher wages, however, lead to decreasing attendance rates. Results for differences in partnership status and for spouses with different religions point to the complementary character of religious experience. Having at hand an exceptional situation in the regional structure of religious traditions due to the different historical developments in the past decades, it is found, not too surprisingly, that strength of belief is lower in the formerly atheistic East Germany. It is, however, not clear-cut that North­South or Protestant­Catholic divides exist in religious participation.

Religious behavior, allocation of time, random-effects ordered probit model

Abstract:
This paper uses ISSP-data from the 1990's to analyze the relationship between religion and attitudes towards working mothers both within and across Austria, West and East Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US. In addition, the sub-sample of husbands is used to examine whether these attitudes along with males' religious involvement affect wives' full-time employment. Reinforcing previous research, Austrians and West Germans are the most conservative individuals across the countries examined, whereas British and US-Americans are the most liberal. Denominational affiliation as well as religious participation correlates positively with traditional attitudes across and, though weaker, within countries. Regarding full-time labor participation of wives, the results suggest for a negative effect of both males' attitudes and religious affiliation. Husbands' frequency of church attendance, however, does not affect the likelihood of wives' full-time employment.

Attitudes, female labor participation, religion, comparative research

Abstract:
Over the last decades the German education system underwent numerous reforms in order to improve equality of opportunity, i.e. to guarantee all pupils equal access to higher education. At the same time internationally comparative evidence yields that Germany features particularly low intergenerational mobility with respect to educational attainment. This study investigates the development in intergenerational education mobility in Germany for the birth cohorts 1929 through 1978 and tests whether the impact of parental background on child educational outcomes changed over time. In spite of massive public policy interventions and education reforms our results yield no significant reduction in the role of parental background for child outcomes over the last decades.

education transmission, intergenerational mobility, schooling, human capital transmission

Abstract:
Complementing prior research on income mobility and educational transmission, we provide evidence on the intergenerational transmission of cognitive abilities using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study. Our estimates suggest that individuals' cognitive skills are positively related to the abilities of their parents, even when educational attainment and family background is controlled for. We differentiate between mothers' and fathers' IQ transmission and find different effects on the cognition of sons and daughters. We show that cognitive skills which are based on past learning are more strongly transmitted from parents to children than cognitive skills which are related to innate abilities. Our findings are not compatible with a pure genetic model, but rather point to the importance of parental investments for the cognitive outcomes of children.

Cognitive abilities, intergenerational IQ transmission, skill formation

Abstract:
Using longitudinal data from the GSOEP, we analyse the behaviour of jobholders in response to the introduction of social insurance contributions on minimal employment (a specific form of part-time employment in Germany). As the so-called
'exclusively marginal employed' jobholders and 'marginal employed' double-jobholders are affected quite differently, separate empirical analyses are carried out. The dynamics of marginal employment as well as the dynamics of second jobholding are compared to a pseudo-contrafactual situation to analyse the effects of the reform apart from possible 'natural' changes. Using econometric methods, we furthermore analyse which determinants affect the stay in or the exit from marginal employment or double-jobholding. The results show that marginal employment has undergone a change in structure: marginal employed double-jobholders are likely to be substituted by exclusively marginal employed jobholders, which can be explained both from the labour-supply side as well as from the labour-demand side. The reform, one the one hand, is successful with respect to the inclusion of incomes from marginal employment to finance social insurance systems. If, one the other hand, jobholders, married women especially, will build up substantial entitlements to social insurance benefits remains questionable, as the reform caused decreasing incentives to pick up a regular full- or part-time employment.

labour supply, marginal employment, double jobholding, evaluation of labour-market policy measures

Abstract:
This paper examines the effect of smoking behavior on earnings. Using data from the GSOEP, both cross-sectional and longitudinal models are estimated separately for males and females. Results for the cross-sectional models confirm prior analyses inasmuch as smoking has a negative effect on earnings for males. However, applying fixed-effects estimation, this effect is found to be inverted for men aged 25 to 35 years compared to their non-smoking counterparts. That is, controlling for unobservable individual heterogeneity, the result implies that male smokers are individuals with higher time preference rates. At the early stage of the age-earnings course higher earnings are therefore found for smokers because young male non-smokers only are about to start off their occupational career. Women's earnings, however, are not affected by smoking behavior.

Smoking, Earnings Regressions

Abstract:
This paper analyzes the determinants of secondary jobholding in Germany and the UK. Although differing in labor market regulations, moonlighting is a persistent phenomenon in both countries. Using panel data from the BHPS and the SOEP, reduced form participation equations are estimated for male and female workers separately. While the results vary across gender and countries, there is support for both main theoretical strands, i.e. the 'hours-constraints' motive as well as the 'heterogeneous-jobs' motive. In particular, there is evidence that particularly German workers who would like to work more hours are more likely to have a second job. On the other hand, the prospect of starting a new job is associated with moonlighting behavior of mainly British workers.

labor supply, secondary jobholding, fixed effects logit estimator, Germany, UK

Abstract:
We provide the first joint evidence on the relationship between individuals' cognitive abilities, their personality and earnings for Germany. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study, we employ scores from an ultra-short IQ-test and a set of measures of personality traits, namely locus of control, reciprocity and all basic items from the Five Factor Personality Inventory. Our estimates suggest a positive effect of so-called fluid intelligence or speed of cognition on males' wages only. Findings for personality traits are more heterogeneous. There however is a robust wage penalty for an external locus of control for both men and women.

Cognitive abilities, personality traits, Five Factor Model, Locus of control, reciprocity, wages

Abstract:
This paper examines the socio-economic variation in height and weight using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel. Results reinforce previous research insofar as height is associated with socio-economic differences. For example, a low maternal schooling level or a lower position in the income distribution is negatively correlated with the height of West Germans. Furthermore, there is a west-east and a north-south gradient in height in Germany. BMI is also determined by individuals' characteristics with similar underlying patterns. That is, in both West and East Germany, women with low income and low education have a higher BMI whereas the better educated women weigh less.

Biological standard of living, Height, Weight, Obesity, Anthropometrics, Germany, German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), Physical stature, Body mass index (BMI)

Abstract:
Using behavioral theories, this article analyzes whether religion influences married women in Germany in their decision to supply labor. Gender roles and accompanying attitudes toward the division of labor among spouses might differ across religious groups depending on the groups' strictness. Examining data from the GSOEP, the findings suggest that denominational affiliation itself only weakly influences women's labor participation decisions. However, women who participate regularly in religious activities are less inclined towards paid employment. Furthermore, there is evidence that the presence of a spouse with a strong belief also affects a woman's supply of labor negatively.

Female labor supply, religious participation, fixed effects logit model