nep-neu New Economics Papers
on Neuroeconomics
Issue of 2021‒03‒29
seven papers chosen by



  1. The Formation and Malleability of Dietary Habits: A Field Experiment with Low Income Families By Michèle Belot; Noémi Berlin; Jonathan James; Valeria Skafida
  2. Cognitive perspective to Organizational Innovation: Evidence from F1 racing By Latasri Hazarika1; Deepak Dhayanithy
  3. The allocation of after-school time and child soxio-emotional skills By Elena Claudia Meroni; Daniela Piazzalunga; Chiara Pronzato
  4. Maternal depression and child human capital: A genetic instrumental-variable approach By Giorgia Menta; Anthony Lepinteur; Andrew Clark; Simone Ghislandi; Conchita Ambrosio
  5. Little fish, big streams: How do early in-class maths ‘ability’-groups and early teacher judgements relate to primary school children’s later maths self-concept? By Tammy Campbell
  6. Formation of Children's Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Skills: Is All Parental Time Equal? By Hélène Le Forner
  7. Predictors of Emotional Intelligence among Preschool Children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia By Zarinah Arshat

  1. By: Michèle Belot (Cornell University); Noémi Berlin (EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Jonathan James (University of Bath [Bath]); Valeria Skafida (University of Edinburgh)
    Abstract: We conduct a field experiment to evaluate the extent to which dietary habits are malleable early on in childhood and later in life. We implement two treatments one that targets what people eat, the other that targets the timing and frequency of food intake. 285 low income families with young children were recruited and assigned either to a control group or one of the two treatments, each of them lasting for 12 consecutive weeks. In one treatment, families received food groceries at home for free for 12 weeks and were asked to prepare five specific healthy meals per week. In the other treatment, families were simply asked to reduce snacking and eat at regular times. We collected a range of measures of food preferences, dietary intake, as well as BMI and biomarkers based on blood samples. We find evidence that children's BMI distribution shifted significantly relative to the control group, i.e. they became relatively "thinner". We also find some evidence that their preferences have been affected by both treatments. On the other hand, we find little evidence of effects on parents. We conclude that exposure to a healthy diet and regularity of food intake possibly play a role in shaping dietary habits, but influencing dietary choices later on in life remains a major challenge.
    Date: 2021–03–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-03157557&r=all
  2. By: Latasri Hazarika1 (Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode); Deepak Dhayanithy (Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode)
    Abstract: The study aims to study the link between cognition structure of individual decision makers and strategic decisions of organizations. Specifically, the impact of positive affect and cognitive anxiety on the innovative quotient of organizations. The study is based on the context of formula one car racing teams due to their heavy reliance on cutting edge technology for performance. Data for top ten racing teams over a period of three years is analyzed. The findings suggest a positive relation between positive affect and innovation and negative relation between cognitive anxiety and innovation. The study contributes towards the literature on micro foundations of strategic decision making.
    Keywords: Organizational innovation, F1 car race
    Date: 2020–06
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iik:wpaper:382&r=all
  3. By: Elena Claudia Meroni; Daniela Piazzalunga; Chiara Pronzato
    Abstract: In this paper, we study the effect of the allocation of after-school time on children’s non cognitive development, using data from the Millennium Cohort Study (UK) and focusing on children aged 7-11 years old. We classify the time spent outside of school into seven groups of activities and evaluate their impact on five socio-emotional skills drawn from the Strength and Difficulties questionnaire, taking advantage of the panel structure of the data. We then test the robustness of our estimates against endogeneity issues. Time spent on sports, studying, reading, tidying up, and active time with parents have beneficial effects, while video-screen time and extra hours at school have harmful ones.
    Keywords: child time use, extra-curricular activities, non-cognitive development, socio emotional skills, omitted variable bias, reverse causality.
    JEL: J13 J24 I24 D10
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cca:wpaper:642&r=all
  4. By: Giorgia Menta (University of Luxembourg [Luxembourg]); Anthony Lepinteur (University of Luxembourg [Luxembourg]); Andrew Clark (PSE - Paris School of Economics - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Simone Ghislandi (Bocconi University [Milan, Italy]); Conchita Ambrosio (University of Luxembourg [Luxembourg])
    Abstract: We here address the causal relationship between maternal depression and child human capital using UK cohort data. We exploit the conditionally-exogenous variation in mothers' genomes in an instrumental-variable approach, and describe the conditions under which mother's genetic variants can be used as valid instruments. An additional episode of maternal depression between the child's birth up to age nine reduces both their cognitive and non-cognitive skills by 20 to 45% of a SD throughout adolescence. Our results are robust to a battery of sensitivity tests addressing, among others, concerns about pleiotropy and the maternal transmission of genes to her child.
    Keywords: Mendelian Randomisation,Maternal Depression,Human Capital,Instrumental Variables,ALSPAC
    Date: 2021–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-03157270&r=all
  5. By: Tammy Campbell
    Abstract: This paper summarises research examining predictors of primary school children's maths self-concept at age 11. It finds that the in-class 'ability' group children were placed in four years earlier, at age seven, strongly relates to whether they later think they are good at maths. Teachers' beliefs about the children at age seven are also strongly associated with later children's maths self-concept. These patterns hold even when accounting for a range of factors, including children's maths skills as measured at seven. Associations are more pervasive and complex for girls.
    Keywords: Self-concept, Maths, Gender, ‘Ability’-grouping, Teacher judgements, Millennium Cohort Study
    Date: 2021–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:sticab:casebrief40&r=all
  6. By: Hélène Le Forner (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
    Abstract: Although it is recognized that parental time is a strong determinant of child development, little is known about heterogeneity across the effects of parental time. Using the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children, I model the cognitive and socio-emotional skills production functions for children born in 1999-2000, from 4 to 11 years old, using, among others, a cumulative value-added and a generalized method of moments model. I find that the effect on children's verbal and socioemotional skills of time spent on educational activities with the father is smaller than that with the mother or both parents together. For socio-emotional skills, this difference seems to be driven by fathers who spend little time with their children.
    Keywords: child development,cognitive skills,socio-emotional skills,parental time investment
    Date: 2021–02–27
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-03160526&r=all
  7. By: Zarinah Arshat (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Author-2-Name: Tun Ju Ern Author-2-Workplace-Name: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Author-3-Name: Nellie Ismail Author-3-Workplace-Name: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:)
    Abstract: Objective - Emotional Intelligence (EI) among preschool children is an important area to be studied. Children who have deficits in EI tend to have problems in adjustment and their lives were insufficiently rewarded. Therefore, they would regulate their emotions in alienating ways or take drastic actions to escape from problems. This study aims to address the predictors of emotional intelligence among preschool children. Methodology/Technique - The study was conducted in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Cross sectional questionnaire with Screen Time Questionnaire (STQ), Child Behavior Inventory of Playfulness (CBI), Adult Involvement in Media Scale (AIM) and Parents Rating Scales of Emotional Intelligence were prepared for 217 mothers with children aged 4 to 6 years in private preschools, Kuala Lumpur. Finding - Pearson correlation analyses revealed that mother's education (r = .16, p
    Keywords: Emotional Intelligence; Parental Monitoring; Playfulness; Preschool Children; Screen Time.
    JEL: A21 J24 O15
    Date: 2021–03–31
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:gjbssr581&r=all

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