{"title":"Reexamining the effect of birth order on cognitive and non-cognitive abilities: New evidence from China","authors":"Shumeng Zhang , Naijia Guo , Junsen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.econedurev.2023.102476","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We present rich new evidence on birth order effects on cognitive and non-cognitive ability using a rural sample from China Family Panel Studies. Within families, being the later-born child confers both statistically and economically significant disadvantages in cognition, but has no effects on non-cognitive ability. In particular, the deficits in the cognition of the later-born are persistently large between the ages 10 and 18. We shed new light on the mediating role of school starting age, which explains more than a quarter of the total effect of birth order on cognition. We also find that birth order is negatively associated with home environment and parent–child interactions. In addition, we find a negative relationship between birth order and education among adults.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48261,"journal":{"name":"Economics of Education Review","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102476"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Economics of Education Review","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775723001231","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We present rich new evidence on birth order effects on cognitive and non-cognitive ability using a rural sample from China Family Panel Studies. Within families, being the later-born child confers both statistically and economically significant disadvantages in cognition, but has no effects on non-cognitive ability. In particular, the deficits in the cognition of the later-born are persistently large between the ages 10 and 18. We shed new light on the mediating role of school starting age, which explains more than a quarter of the total effect of birth order on cognition. We also find that birth order is negatively associated with home environment and parent–child interactions. In addition, we find a negative relationship between birth order and education among adults.
期刊介绍:
Economics of Education Review publishes research on education policy and finance, human capital production and acquisition, and the returns to human capital. We accept empirical, methodological and theoretical contributions, but the main focus of Economics of Education Review is on applied studies that employ micro data and clear identification strategies. Our goal is to publish innovative, cutting-edge research on the economics of education that is of interest to academics, policymakers and the public. Starting with papers submitted March 1, 2014, the review process for articles submitted to the Economics of Education Review will no longer be double blind. Authors are requested to include a title page with authors'' names and affiliation. Reviewers will continue to be anonymous.