Does schooling have lasting effects on cognitive function? Evidence from compulsory schooling laws

Gorman, E. 2023. Does schooling have lasting effects on cognitive function? Evidence from compulsory schooling laws. Demography. 60 (4), pp. 1139-1161. https://doi.org/10.1215/00703370-10875853

TitleDoes schooling have lasting effects on cognitive function? Evidence from compulsory schooling laws
TypeJournal article
AuthorsGorman, E.
Abstract

This paper assesses whether additional schooling has lasting causal effects on cognitive function. Exploiting quasi-experimental variation from the 1972 raising of the school leaving age in England and Wales, I use a fuzzy regression-discontinuity design to show that remaining in school until age 16 years improves working memory by one-third to one-half of a standard deviation. Limited evidence was detected for causal effects on verbal fluency and numeric ability. These findings are robust to an array of sensitivity analyses.

Keywordscognition
health behaviors
ageing
education
occupation
JournalDemography
Journal citation60 (4), pp. 1139-1161
ISSN0070-3370
1533-7790
Year2023
PublisherDuke University Press
Publisher's version
License
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File Access Level
Open (open metadata and files)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1215/00703370-10875853
PubMed ID37470819
Web address (URL)https://read.dukeupress.edu/demography/article/doi/10.1215/00703370-10875853/380930/Does-Schooling-Have-Lasting-Effects-on-Cognitive
Publication dates
Published online20 Jul 2023

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