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Looks and Labor: Do Attractive People Work More?

Author

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  • Markus Gehrsitz
Abstract
Using the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS) 2008, I investigate how looks affect an individual's labor supply decision. My results are, by and large, in line with predictions derived from the neoclassical model of labor supply. Applying regular probit, bivariate probit, Tobit and Heckman selection regression models, I find that good looks go hand in hand with higher employment probabilities and more hours of market work. Furthermore, physical attractiveness is positively associated with spousal income and spousal employment. Hence, beauty appears to affect labor supply decisions both directly and through the marriage market.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Gehrsitz, 2014. "Looks and Labor: Do Attractive People Work More?," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 28(3), pages 269-287, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:labour:v:28:y:2014:i:3:p:269-287
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/labr.12035
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Sonia Oreffice & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2014. "Attractiveness, Anthropometry or Both? Their Relationship and Role in Economic Research," Working Papers 2014.106, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    3. Hellyer, Joshua & Hellriegel, Emily & Gereke, Johanna & Schunck, Reinhard, 2023. "Pretty unequal? Immigrant-native differences in returns to physical attractiveness in Germany," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 107-119.
    4. Mavisakalyan, Astghik, 2018. "Do employers reward physical attractiveness in transition countries?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 38-52.
    5. Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2016. "Looks matter: Attractiveness and employment in the former soviet union," Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper series WP1604, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School.
    6. Sonia Oreffice & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2015. "The Role of Body Size in Economic Research Above and Beyond Beauty," CHILD Working Papers Series 35, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    7. Dilmaghani, Maryam, 2020. "Beauty perks: Physical appearance, earnings, and fringe benefits," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    8. Oreffice, Sonia & Quintana-Domeque, Climent, 2016. "Beauty, body size and wages: Evidence from a unique data set," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 24-34.

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