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Does Education Improve Cognitive Performance Four Decades After School Completion? A Replication Study of Nicole Schneeweis, Vegard Skirbekk and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer (Demography, 2014)

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  • Tawiah, Beatrice Baaba
  • Schiele, Valentin

Abstract

This paper replicates the analysis of Schneeweis et al. (2014) using their sample as well as an extended sample. Schneeweis et al. (2014) use the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) dataset and exploit compulsory schooling reforms implemented in six European countries to analyse the impact of education on cognitive functioning decades after leaving school. They find a positive effect of education on memory scores and some evidence of a protective effect of education on the decline in verbal fluency. Our results support their findings when we use the same waves as they do, but also when we extend the sample by including more countries and interview waves and use different variables for years of education.

Suggested Citation

  • Tawiah, Beatrice Baaba & Schiele, Valentin, 2025. "Does Education Improve Cognitive Performance Four Decades After School Completion? A Replication Study of Nicole Schneeweis, Vegard Skirbekk and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer (Demography, 2014)," Journal of Comments and Replications in Economics (JCRE), ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 4, pages 1-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:jcreco:318610
    DOI: 10.18718/81781.41
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Clément de Chaisemartin & Xavier D'Haultfœuille, 2020. "Two-Way Fixed Effects Estimators with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2964-2996, September.
    2. Daniel A Kamhöfer & Hendrik Schmitz & Matthias Westphal, 2019. "Heterogeneity in Marginal Non-Monetary Returns to Higher Education," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 205-244.
    3. Daniel A. Kamhöfer & Hendrik Schmitz, 2016. "Reanalyzing Zero Returns to Education in Germany," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(5), pages 912-919, August.
    4. Crespo, Laura & López-Noval, Borja & Mira, Pedro, 2014. "Compulsory schooling, education, depression and memory: New evidence from SHARELIFE," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 36-46.
    5. Nicole Schneeweis & Vegard Skirbekk & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, 2014. "Does Education Improve Cognitive Performance Four Decades After School Completion?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(2), pages 619-643, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cognitive abilities; Education; Compulsory schooling;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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