Television, Cognitive Ability, and High School Completion

Øystein Hernæs, Simen Markussen and Knut Røed ()

Journal of Human Resources, 2019, vol. 54, issue 2, 371-400

Abstract: We exploit supply-driven heterogeneity in the expansion of cable television across Norwegian municipalities to identify developmental effects of commercial television exposure during childhood. We find that higher exposure to commercial television reduces cognitive ability and high school graduation rates for boys. The effects appear to be driven by consumption of light television entertainment crowding out more cognitively stimulating activities. Point estimates suggest that the effects are most negative for boys from more educated families. We find no effect on high school completion for girls, pointing to the growth of noneducational media as a factor in the widening educational gender gap.

JEL-codes: J13 J16 J24 L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.54.2.0316.7819R1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Working Paper: Television, Cognitive Ability, and High School Completion (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:54:y:2019:i:2:p:371-400

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