Non-cognitive components of human capital: Evidence from Russian data

Abstract

There has been a fast rise of interest within the economic science for studying effects of non-cognitive skills on individual economic behavior. Empirical analysis of this sort requires data linking individual psychological and economic variables. Psychological variables can be operationalized by using concepts of “the locus of control” and of “the Big Five” of personality traits. This paper presents descriptive systematization of various indicators of non-cognitive skills introduced in various waves of the RLMS-HSE household survey in 2000-2016. Non-cognitive skills are analyzed in the breakdown by major socio-demographic groups and in association with indicators of life success.