The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility

James J. Heckman () and Stefano Mosso ()
Additional contact information
James J. Heckman: University of Chicago
Stefano Mosso: University of Chicago

No 8000, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

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 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 I24 I28 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 74 pages
Date: 2014-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem and nep-evo
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (421)

Published - published in: Annual Reviews of Economics, 2014, 6(1), 689-733

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https://docs.iza.org/dp8000.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility (2014)
Working Paper: The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility (2014)
Working Paper: The Economics of Human Development and Social Mobility (2014)
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