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The decision-makers we become: Early education and the decision-making of boys and girls

Author

Listed:
  • Carvalho, Leandro S.
  • Cardim, Joana
  • Carneiro, Pedro
  • de Walque, Damien

Abstract

One way to advance our understanding of individual differences in decision-making is to study the development of children's decision-making. This paper studies the causal effects of daycare attendance on children's economic preferences and decision-making abilities, exploiting a lottery system that randomized admissions into oversubscribed daycare centers in Rio de Janeiro. Impacts are estimated separately for boys and girls. Daycare attendance increased the decision-making quality of boys by 0.16 standard deviations (SD) and the aversion of girls to disadvantageous inequality (i.e., having less than one's peer) by 0.23 SD. It also decreased the self-control of boys by 0.19 SD.

Suggested Citation

  • Carvalho, Leandro S. & Cardim, Joana & Carneiro, Pedro & de Walque, Damien, 2026. "The decision-makers we become: Early education and the decision-making of boys and girls," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:179:y:2026:i:c:s0304387825002111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103660
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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