The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility

74 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2014

See all articles by James J. Heckman

James J. Heckman

University of Chicago - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); American Bar Foundation; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Stefano Mosso

University of Chicago - Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Abstract

This paper distills and extends recent research on the economics of human development and social mobility. It summarizes the evidence from diverse literatures on the importance of early life conditions in shaping multiple life skills and the evidence on critical and sensitive investment periods for shaping different skills. It presents economic models that rationalize the evidence and unify the treatment effect and family influence literatures. The evidence on the empirical and policy importance of credit constraints in forming skills is examined. There is little support for the claim that untargeted income transfer policies to poor families significantly boost child outcomes. Mentoring, parenting, and attachment are essential features of successful families and interventions to shape skills at all stages of childhood. The next wave of family studies will better capture the active role of the emerging autonomous child in learning and responding to the actions of parents, mentors and teachers.

Keywords: capacities, dynamic complementarity, parenting, scaffolding, attachment, credit constraints

JEL Classification: J13, I20, I24, I28

Suggested Citation

Heckman, James J. and Mosso, Stefano, The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility. IZA Discussion Paper No. 8000, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2403136 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2403136

James J. Heckman (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Department of Economics ( email )

1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States
773-702-0634 (Phone)
773-702-8490 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

American Bar Foundation

750 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
United States

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Stefano Mosso

University of Chicago - Department of Economics ( email )

Graduate School of Business
1101 East 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
84
Abstract Views
746
Rank
237,334
PlumX Metrics