Coming Together or Growing Apart: Trajectories of Intrinsic Job Rewards and Income Mobility over Life Course

• In Event: 20212 - Labor Market and Social Mobility

Abstract

This study examines how intrinsic job rewards—such as autonomy, achievement, and meaning—and labor income evolve over the career life course, offering a multidimensional perspective on labor market inequality. While discussions on job quality emphasize its multifaceted nature, most empirical research focuses primarily on economic aspects. Adopting a life course perspective, this project reveals the cumulative and dynamic trajectories of these two distinct yet interconnected dimensions of inequality. Preliminary analyses draw on the 1979 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), following individuals from ages 22 to 62. Univariate models of intrinsic rewards indicate a curvilinear pattern across age, with college-educated and White workers starting higher and growing faster than non-college and Black workers, while gender differences are less pronounced. Greater variability in intrinsic rewards is observed among non-college, Black, and female workers. Bivariate models jointly estimate trajectories of intrinsic rewards and logged labor income, revealing positive covariances in intercepts and slopes—supporting a “winners take all” hypothesis rather than a compensatory dynamic. These findings highlight the importance of examining multiple dimensions of job quality across entire careers, rather than relying on income-focused or cross-sectional approaches. Further analysis prior to ASA will incorporate Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) data for cohort comparisons, explore subgroup heterogeneity, investigate piecewise trajectories by life stage, and consider within-couple dynamics.

Author

• Xiaowen Han, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities