Abstract
This study set out to investigate to what extent childhood cognitive ability, along with personality traits, education and occupational status, as well as marital status influence adult financial success. Data were drawn from a large, prospective birth cohort in the UK, the National Child Development Study (NCDS). The analytic sample was comprised of 4537 cohort members with data on parental social class (at birth), cognitive ability (at age 11), educational qualifications (at age 33), personality traits (at age 50), current marital status and occupational prestige, and salary/wage earning level (all measured at age 54). Correlational results showed that parental social class, childhood cognitive ability, traits extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness, and openness, being married positively, being divorced or separated negatively, education and occupation as well as gender were all significantly associated with adult earning ability (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Effect sizes for the relationship between intelligence and income was moderate. Results of a multiple regression analysis showed that childhood cognitive ability, traits conscientiousness and openness, educational qualifications and occupational prestige were significant and independent predictors of adult earning ability accounting for 30% of the total variance. There was also a gender effect on the outcome variable. Numerous limitations are noted.
Highlights
Differential psychologists have long been interested in correlates and predictors of work success.Over the years, both personality/preference and intelligence/ability psychologists have attempted to determine which, why and how individual difference factors predict various measures of success at work
We examine the role of intelligence measured at 10 years old, parental social class at birth, education at 33 years old, personality at 50 years old and occupational prestige and income at 54 years old
This study aims to investigate gender differences, psychological and sociological factors in a longitudinal sample to investigate how they together related to adult earnings defined by net monthly income
Summary
Differential psychologists have long been interested in correlates and predictors of work success. Over the years, both personality/preference and intelligence/ability psychologists have attempted to determine which, why and how individual difference factors predict various measures of success at work. There are various reviews of the literature, with regard to personality [1] and intelligence [2]. They have attempted to understand the mechanisms and processes that account for the relationship. There have been many papers on correlates of work success and general life outcomes [3]. Roberts et al [4] in a meta-analysis of hundreds of longitudinal studies showed intelligence, personality and socio-economic status had similar significant effects on occupational attainment as well as divorce and mortality
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