English Explanatory Dictionary

sheepskin effect

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

The theory that people who have completed an academic degree earn more income, not because of the knowledge they gained during their education, but rather because their degree indicates the possession of mental abilities and personality traits that employers are seeking.

Word forms

sheepskin effect

Etymology

Academic degrees were traditionally presented on sheepskin parchment.

Related words

credentialism paper ceiling the more you know, the higher you go

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