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Morphometric traits predict educational attainment independently of socioeconomic background
Markus Valge1, Richard Meitern1, Peeter Hõrak2
1Department of Zoology, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia.
BMC Public Health
|December 20, 2019
Summary
Childhood height, head size, and face width predict educational attainment in Estonian schoolchildren. Taller children and those with larger heads and narrower faces achieved higher education, independent of socioeconomic factors.
Area of Science:
- Human biology
- Anthropometry
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Investigating the link between physical traits and educational success in Estonian schoolchildren (born 1937-1962).
- Examining if height, cranial volume, and face width predict educational attainment independently of socioeconomic position (SEP) and sex.
- Understanding how morphometric traits associated with education influence human body size evolution due to fertility selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relationship between anthropometric traits and educational attainment in Estonian schoolchildren.
- To assess if specific physical characteristics predict higher education levels.
- To explore the evolutionary implications of these associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 11,032 Estonian schoolchildren (ages 7-19) measured between 1956-1969.
- Employed ordinal logistic regression to analyze the impact of morphometric traits and biosocial variables on educational attainment.
- Tested for interactions between physical measurements and factors like SEP, sex, and origin.
Main Results:
- Family socioeconomic position (SEP) was the strongest predictor of educational attainment, followed by sex, urban/rural origin, and sibling number.
- Taller stature, larger head size, and narrower faces were associated with higher likelihood of secondary/tertiary education.
- The effect of height on education was independent of cranial volume, suggesting height itself was the key factor.
Conclusions:
- Morphometric traits robustly predict educational attainment, even after accounting for biosocial variables.
- These findings are crucial for understanding the ongoing evolution of human body size.
- Fecundity selection on educational attainment may drive concurrent selection for different stature and cranial volume trends in men and women.
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