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Can enhancing consciousness of control ideology mitigate the impact of poverty on perseverance?

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  • Seemanti Ghosh

Abstract

I show that perseverance is affected under the influence of poverty. Further, perseverance among adolescents can be fostered by treating locus of control. However, this treatment can effectively mitigate the impact of poverty only when delivered by a relatable role model. Older participants display significantly less perseverant behaviour when primed with poverty. Perseverance of older participants responds significantly more malleably to treatment sessions facilitated by a role model, relative to younger participants. Females are significantly less responsive to male role models. This evidence comes from evaluating a lab-in-the-field experiment conducted in India with 236 urban poor adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Seemanti Ghosh, 2020. "Can enhancing consciousness of control ideology mitigate the impact of poverty on perseverance?," Working Papers 2020_22, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow.
    • Handle: RePEc:gla:glaewp:2020_22
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    experiment; non-cognitive; grit; perseverance; locus of control; poverty; psychology of poverty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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