nep-neu New Economics Papers
on Neuroeconomics
Issue of 2023‒05‒01
two papers chosen by



  1. Effects of Early Childhood Climate on Cognitive Development and Home Environment By Wu, Wenjie; Yang, Zhe; Kim, Jun Hyung; Yue, Ai
  2. Structural Labour Market Change, Cognitive Work, and Fertility in Germany By Honorata Bogusz; Anna Matysiak; Michaela Kreyenfeld

  1. By: Wu, Wenjie (Jinan University); Yang, Zhe (Jinan University); Kim, Jun Hyung (Jinan University); Yue, Ai (Shaanxi Normal University)
    Abstract: Climate change poses a significant threat to the development of young children, but its impacts are not well known because of data and methodological limitations. Using a unique panel study in disadvantaged rural communities, we find that exposures to low temperatures undermine subsequent cognitive development before age 5, and reduce caregiver-child interactions and material investments. Results do not support income, health and temporary disruption in cognitive performance as potential channels. By undermining children's home environment, climate change may widen socioeconomic inequalities across households by their capacity to adapt, which is severely limited among disadvantaged households.
    Keywords: early childhood, cognitive skills, home environment, temperature, climate change, China
    JEL: I14 I18 J13 P25
    Date: 2023–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16017&r=neu
  2. By: Honorata Bogusz (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences); Anna Matysiak (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences); Michaela Kreyenfeld (Hertie School)
    Abstract: Technological change and globalisation have been transforming the structure of labour demand in favour of workers performing cognitive tasks. Even though past research has found that labour force participation is an important determinant of fertility behaviour, few studies have addressed the fertility effects of the long-term structural changes of labour market. To fill this gap, we measure the cognitive task content of work at the occupation level using data from the Employment Survey of the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BiBB). We link this contextual information with employment and fertility histories of women and men from the German Socio-Economic Panel 1984-2018 (GSOEP). With event history models, we find that fertility transitions of men working in occupations characterised by high cognitive task intensity are accelerated. We also observe elevated birth risks among women in occupations requiring cognitive labour. However, this pattern is more ambiguous, as we find that non-working women also experience elevated birth rates.
    Keywords: structural labour market change, cognitive work, task content of work, fertility, Germany
    JEL: J01 J11 J13
    Date: 2023
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:war:wpaper:2023-08&r=neu

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