Temperature and High-Stakes Cognitive Performance: Evidence from the National College Entrance Examination in China

Joshua Graff Zivin, Yingquan Song, Qu Tang and Peng Zhang

No 24821, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We provide the first nation-wide estimates on temperature effects on high-stakes cognitive performance in a developing country using data from the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) in China. The NCEE is one of the most important institutions in China and affects hundreds of millions of families. We find that a one-standard-deviation increase in temperature (3.29° C) decreases the total test score by 1.12% (9.62% of a standard deviation) and decreases the probability of getting into first-tier universities by 1.97% (4.38% of a standard deviation). This suggests that temperature plays an important role in high-stakes cognitive performance and has potentially far-reaching impacts for the careers and lifetime earnings of students.

JEL-codes: I23 I24 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-neu and nep-tra
Note: CH DEV EEE EH PE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published as Joshua Graff Zivin & Yingquan Song & Qu Tang & Peng Zhang, 2020. "Temperature and high-stakes cognitive performance: Evidence from the national college entrance examination in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, .

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Journal Article: Temperature and high-stakes cognitive performance: Evidence from the national college entrance examination in China (2020)
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