Personality Traits and Gender-Specific Income Expectations in Dutch Higher Education

• Published in: Social indicators research Vol. 86; no. 1; pp. 113 - 128
• Main Authors: Need, Ariana, de Jong, Uulkje
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.03.2008; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Analytical forecasting; Careers; College Students; Colleges; Earnings; Economic sociology; Expectation; Expectations; Females; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Gender differentiation; Graduates; Higher education; Human Capital; Human Geography; Income; Income estimates; Income expectations; Inequality; Majors (Students); Males; Men; Microeconomics; National Surveys; Netherlands; Occupational Aspiration; Outcomes of Education; Parents; Personality; Personality Traits; Public Health; Quality of Life Research; Resistance (Psychology); Sex Differences; Social research; Social Sciences; Sociology; Sociology of economy and development; Standard of living. Income; State Surveys; Students; Studies; Universities; Women; Work Environment; Working women; Netherlands; Gender differentials; Income expectations; Higher education; Inequality; Expectations; Higher Education; Student; Gender difference; Income
• ISSN: 0303-8300; 1573-0921
• DOI: 10.1007/s11205-007-9104-8

In this article we examine gender differences in income expectations of students in higher education. We found quite large gender differences. Men and women differ significantly in the income they expect to earn at the top of their career. We examined how much personality traits contribute to explain gender differences in income expectations, and to what extent personality typologies can add to insights about earnings potential derived from human capital theory. The research shows that personality does affect expected income, that impact goes beyond personality's indirect effects, which are conveyed largely through gender differences and students' choice of study subject.