Caveat Lector: Sample Selection in Historical Heights and the Interpretation of Early Industrializing Economies / Howard Bodenhorn, Timothy Guinnane, Thomas Mroz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bodenhorn, Howard.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Guinnane, Timothy.

Mroz, Thomas.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w19955.

NBER working paper series no. w19955

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Caveat Lector

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2014.

Summary:

Much of the research on height in historical populations relies on convenience samples. A crucial question with convenience samples is whether the sample accurately reflects the characteristics of the population; if not, then estimated parameters will be affected by sample selection bias. This paper applies a simple test for selection biased developed in Bodenhorn, Guinnane, and Mroz (2013) to several historical samples of prisoners, freed slaves, and college students. We reject the hypothesis of no selection bias in all cases. Using Roy's (1951) model of occupational choice, we interpret these findings as reflecting the economic forces that lead individuals to take the actions the led to inclusion in the sample. Our findings suggest that much of the evidence on the "industrialization puzzle" during the nineteenth century could reflect changing selection into the samples rather than changes in population heights.

Notes:

Print version record

March 2014.