Table 1 Definition of variables and descriptive statistics

No social interaction

0,1

0.36

0.17

Low social interaction

0,1

0.34

0.24

Medium social interaction

0,1

0.21

0.23

High social interaction

0,1

0.09

0.36

Gregariousness in leisure time

0,1

0.80

0.83

w (gross hourly wage 2007)

Euro

16.65 (8.15)

13.06 (6.45)

Schooling

Years

12.76 (2.80)

12.86 (2.68)

Potential experience

Years

24.90 (10.59)

23.94 (10.78)

Potential experience squared

–

731.95 (530.53)

689.51 (511.02)

Tenure

Years

12.55 (10.39)

10.79 (9.35)

Openness to experience

Normalised

−0.00 (0.92)

0.11 (0.92)

Conscientiousness

–

0.06 (0.91)

0.16 (0.86)

Extraversion

–

−0.05 (0.97)

0.18 (0.97)

Agreeableness

–

−0.26 (0.98)

0.15 (0.91)

Neuroticism

–

−0.28 (0.93)

0.12 (0.96)

Locus of control

–

−0.17 (0.95)

−0.10 (0.95)

Willingness to take risk

11 Likert scale

5.21 (2.11)

4.46 (2.11)

Number of children

0, 1, 2, …

1.30 (1.20)

1.26 (1.11)

East German

0,1

0.16

0.19

Foreigner

0,1

0.11

0.09

Fulltime worker

0,1

0.94

0.55

Very small firm (<20 employees)

0,1

0.25

0.31

Small firm (20 to 200 employees)

0,1

0.27

0.29

Medium firm (200 to 2000 empl.)

0,1

0.22

0.20

Large firm (>2000 employees)

0,1

0.26

0.20