by Jim Rose in economics of education, human capital, labour economics, occupational choice Tags: chess, economics of personality traits, lost boys, reversing gender gap

For a logical thinker, chess grandmaster Nigel Short missed the obvious move. Teenage girls have better things to do with their talents and in particular their superior reading skills than gaze over a chess board.

The 30 point advantage that 15-year-old girls have in reading scores in the PISA test – see the chart below – is equal to an extra six months schooling. Six months extra schooling explains many a gender and ethnic wage gap.

Having being a member of a few chess clubs, and run chess clubs and large chess tournaments, there are an unusual number of oddballs, eccentrics and mentally ill people who play chess.

The systematic evidence of a greater incidence of learning disorders, Asperger’s syndrome as well is bipolar disorders among teenage boys all encourage teenage boys to focus on chess if only to give an outlet to their obsessive behaviours.

It is for the same reason that socially awkward teenage boys may be attracted to computer programming if they have various obsessional disorders.

Who-d a-Thunk It? The new OECD Report on 15-Year Olds in 60+ Countries Finds Significant Gender Differences? http://t.co/X2rGVygPwF—

Mark J. Perry (@Mark_J_Perry) March 11, 2015