Gender difference in the impact of retirement on cognitive abilities: Evidence from urban China

Xiaoyan Lei and Hong Liu

Journal of Comparative Economics, 2018, vol. 46, issue 4, 1425-1446

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of retirement on cognitive functioning by gender in urban China and investigates the underlying mechanisms. Based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, the paper uses the mandatory retirement ages and different policy enforcement between the public and private sectors as instruments for retirement status. The analysis finds substantial gender heterogeneity in the effect of retirement on cognition, with a positive and significant effect for males, but a negative and less significant effect for females. The beneficial effects on cognition are stronger for male blue-collar workers, who are likely to pursue a more active lifestyle at retirement. Further investigation shows that the results are partly driven by differential behavioral changes at retirement, and the gender difference in retirement ages may also play a potential role.

Keywords: Cognitive abilities; Retirement; Retirement age; Gender difference; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 J14 J16 J24 J26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:46:y:2018:i:4:p:1425-1446

DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2018.01.005

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