Controlling for IQ barely weakens the link between education and income

Evidence

The results of “holding constant” IQ at a particular level (e.g., average level) is exhibited in the right-hand bars of Figure 4-2. Rather than being of equal height, the right-hand bars arc only slightly different from the left. For instance, in general a person from the ninth decile in education is nearly ten times as likely to be in the top quindle in income as is a person in the bottom education decile; but among people with identical adult cognitive test scores, the former is still eight times more likely to be in the top income quintile than the latter. Holding cognitive attainments constant barely changes the education-income relationship. Hardly comforting for those who assert the economic importance of mental skills in explaining inequality. — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America, 1028

Categorization

• QUESTION: The ‘quindle’ appears to be a typo for ‘quintile’ in the source - worth noting for quoting accuracy.
• XREF: Relates to the education-income vs. IQ causation debate central to Sar Levitan and the human capital tradition readings. — connects to: Schools’ main economic function is not cognitive skill production — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America:…, 996; Income correlates with education independent of measured cognitive skill — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America:…, 1010; Education’s economic payoff has little to do with measured IQ for most people — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America:…, 213 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Education’s economic payoff has little to do with measured IQ for most people #corroborates (0.95) — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America, 213
• Cognitive skills explain little of education’s link to economic success. #corroborates (0.95) — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America, 556
• Class-based educational inequality persists almost unchanged when IQ is held constant #corroborates (0.90)
• Intelligence quotient significantly influences important life outcomes #contradicts (0.80)
• IQ’s link to income mostly reflects environment’s link to both #corroborates (0.75) — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America, 1077