Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers
Creation-Date: 2026-06-24
Number: 26-038/I
Author-Name: Thomas Buser
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Amsterdam
Title: Childhood misbehavior, toxic personality and leadership
Abstract: Recent studies have found that childhood misbehavior, despite predicting worse schooling outcomes, is associated with higher adult earnings. Using a retrospective measure in a representative Dutch survey panel, I document a new dimension of the misbehavior-career link: people who misbehaved as children are overrepresented in leadership positions and among entrepreneurs. Yet the same people are, as adults, more likely to engage in physical aggression and social transgressions. They also have an aversive personality – markedly more disagreeable, dishonest, narcissistic, manipulative, neurotic, unconscientious, and vindictive – and report lower wellbeing. These patterns persist even among those who reach the top, making them potentially toxic as leaders.
Classification-JEL: D91, J24, M51
Keywords: 
File-URL: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/26038.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 626.960 bytes
Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20260038