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Parenting style as an investment in human development

Author

Listed:
  • Deborah A. Cobb-Clark

    (The University of Sydney
    ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course
    Institute of Labor Economics (IZA))

  • Nicolás Salamanca

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course
    Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
    The University of Melbourne)

  • Anna Zhu

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course
    Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
    The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

We propose a household production function approach to human development that explicitly considers the role of parenting style in child rearing. Specifically, parenting style is modeled as an investment that depends not only on inputs of time and market goods, but also on attention. Our model relates socioeconomic disadvantage to parenting style and human development through the constraints that disadvantage places on cognitive capacity. We find empirical support for key features of our model. Parenting style is a construct that is distinctive to standard parental investments and is important for young-adult outcomes. Effective parenting styles are negatively correlated with disadvantage.

Suggested Citation

  • Deborah A. Cobb-Clark & Nicolás Salamanca & Anna Zhu, 2019. "Parenting style as an investment in human development," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 1315-1352, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:32:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s00148-018-0703-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-018-0703-2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Parenting style; Cognitive load; Locus of control; Socioeconomic disadvantage; Parental investments; Human development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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