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Children's smartphone ownership, human capital development, and subjective well‐being

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  • Hyeonbo Sim

Abstract

This study investigates the association between children's smartphone ownership and their cognitive and noncognitive development, as well as children and parental subjective well‐being (SWB) in South Korea (Korea). The propensity score matching approach shows that children's smartphone ownership is positively related to the ability of “openness” in a creativity category measured for cognitive development. Compared to prevailing stereotypes about the detrimental association of smartphones with children's creativity, this research sheds new light on a positive association between children's smartphone use and certain aspects of creativity. Moreover, the approach reveals that children's smartphone ownership is positively and negatively related to the ability to “overcome” and “diligence” measured in GRIT for noncognitive development, respectively. Furthermore, this study suggests a divergent association between smartphone ownership and maternal and children's SWB: a negative association with maternal SWB and a positive one with children's SWB. This discrepancy underscores the complexity of the relationship between new forms of parental input such as smartphones and the cognitive and noncognitive development as well as SWB of both children and parents. Moreover, the evidence suggests that children's smartphone ownership is positively associated with their life satisfaction but negatively associated with maternal life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyeonbo Sim, 2025. "Children's smartphone ownership, human capital development, and subjective well‐being," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 187-216, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaec:v:39:y:2025:i:2:p:187-216
    DOI: 10.1111/asej.12352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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