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Learning is inhibited by heat exposure, both internationally and within the United States

Author

Listed:
  • R. Jisung Park

    (University of California)

  • A. Patrick Behrer

    (Stanford University)

  • Joshua Goodman

    (Boston University)

Abstract

Human capital generally, and cognitive skills specifically, play a crucial role in determining economic mobility and macroeconomic growth. While elevated temperatures have been shown to impair short-run cognitive performance, much less is known about whether heat exposure affects the rate of skill formation. We combine standardized achievement data for 58 countries and 12,000 US school districts with detailed weather and academic calendar information to show that the rate of learning decreases with an increase in the number of hot school days. These results provide evidence that climatic differences may contribute to differences in educational achievement both across countries and within countries by socioeconomic status and that may have important implications for the magnitude and functional form of climate damages in coupled human–natural systems.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Jisung Park & A. Patrick Behrer & Joshua Goodman, 2021. "Learning is inhibited by heat exposure, both internationally and within the United States," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 19-27, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41562-020-00959-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-00959-9
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Angrist, Noam & Winseck, Kevin & Patrinos, Harry Anthony & Zivin, Joshua Graff, 2023. "Human Capital and Climate Change," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1246, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Hallegatte, Stephane & Trinh, Trong-Anh, 2023. "Does global warming worsen poverty and inequality? An updated review," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120701, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Engzell, Per & Frey, Arun & Verhagen, Mark D., 2020. "Learning Inequality During the Covid-19 Pandemic," SocArXiv ve4z7, Center for Open Science.
    4. Matteo Picchio & Jan van Ours, 2023. "The impact of high temperatures on performance in work-related activities," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 23-052/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    5. Johnston, David W. & Knott, Rachel & Mendolia, Silvia & Siminski, Peter, 2021. "Upside-Down Down-Under: Cold Temperatures Reduce Learning in Australia," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Xin Zhang & Xi Chen & Xiaobo Zhang, 2024. "Temperature and Low-Stakes Cognitive Performance," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(1), pages 75-96.
    7. Pestel, Nico & Oswald, Andrew J., 2021. "Why Do Relatively Few Economists Work on Climate Change? A Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 14885, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Timothy M. Lenton & Chi Xu & Jesse F. Abrams & Ashish Ghadiali & Sina Loriani & Boris Sakschewski & Caroline Zimm & Kristie L. Ebi & Robert R. Dunn & Jens-Christian Svenning & Marten Scheffer, 2023. "Quantifying the human cost of global warming," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1237-1247, October.
    9. Michelle Escobar Carias & David Johnston & Rachel Knott & Rohan Sweeney, 2021. "Heat and Economic Preferences," Papers 2110.05611, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2022.
    10. Qi He & Xinde (James) Ji, 2021. "The Labor Productivity Consequences of Exposure to Particulate Matters: Evidence from a Chinese National Panel Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-22, December.

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