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Why does height matter for educational attainment? Evidence from German children
Francesco Cinnirella1, Marc Piopiunik, Joachim Winter
1Ifo Institute for Economic Research and CESifo, Poschingerstrasse 5, D-81679 Munich, Germany. cinnirella@ifo.de
Economics and Human Biology
|May 28, 2011
Summary
Taller children have a higher chance of attending academic secondary school tracks. This height-school premium may be linked to early social skills, though discrimination is also possible.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Research
Background:
- Height is positively correlated with educational attainment.
- The mechanisms linking physical stature to academic success require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between height and educational attainment in German pre-teen students.
- To identify potential mediating factors, such as teacher assessments and social skills, in the height-school premium.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from German pre-teen students.
- Employed statistical analysis to determine the impact of height on Gymnasium enrollment.
- Examined the association between early childhood height and social skills.
Main Results:
- A 1cm increase in height correlated with a 1.6 percentage point rise in Gymnasium probability.
- Taller students were more likely to be recommended for Gymnasium by teachers, independent of academic achievement and parental background.
- Positive association found between height and social skills in early childhood (ages 2-3).
Conclusions:
- Height significantly influences educational tracking, potentially through noncognitive skills and teacher perceptions.
- The findings suggest that early social development may play a role in the observed height-school premium.
- While noncognitive skills offer a plausible explanation, the possibility of discrimination cannot be entirely excluded.
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