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Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology

New article published in Journal of Intelligence

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Foto von Georg Deutschmann neben dem Logo des Journal of Intelligence © IFS​/​TU Dortmund & 2025 MDPI
The publication deals with the differential importance of childhood intelligence, social background, and education across occupational development.

The publication „Occupational Success Across the Lifespan: On the Differential Importance of Childhood Intelligence, Social Background, and Education Across Occupational Development“ by Georg Karl Deutschmann, Michael Becker and Yi-Jhen Wu investigates a German longitudinal large-scale study in multiple regression and mediation models to examine how childhood intelligence and socioeconomic background predict income and occupational status at different career stages. The analyses show that childhood intelligence and socioeconomic background predict status and income in adulthood, with childhood intelligence being the stronger predictor. However, education is an even stronger predictor and—once included in the model—mediates virtually all effects of childhood intelligence and socioeconomic background. This pattern remains stable across career stages, and education has unique effects on income and occupational status in later work life, even when controlling for work experience. The results emphasize the pivotal role of education in transitioning to the labor market and further development at work, even at later career stages.

To the paper: Article in Journal of Intelligence