Locus of control, that is, people's perception of how much influence they have over their lives, is an important predictor for economic outcomes – earnings, health, and education, to name a few. This paper uses difference-in-differences analysis to investigate the importance of the...

The noncognitive skill of conscientiousness has been linked to favorable labor market and health outcomes. But how is conscientiousness affected by events that happen in childhood? We investigate the effects of negative parental selection and economic and social upheaval on conscientiousness in...