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Cognitive ability, the Big Five, and rural-to-urban migration in China

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  • Cheng, Ziyi
  • Chen, Xi

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of cognitive ability and the Big Five factors in predicting individuals' probability of moving from rural to urban areas in China. Our estimation results suggest that a one standard deviation increase in cognitive ability is associated with a 0.7 percentage points increase in a person's migration probability during 2010–2020; while a one standard deviation increase in the personality trait openness to new experience correlates to a 0.8 percentage points increase in the probability of migration. Our estimates are substantial compared to unconditional migration probabilities, and are robust to issues such as reverse causality and measurement errors. We also provide suggestive evidence that cognitive ability may affect an individual's migration decision through the endowment channel, and personality traits may exert effects on one's migration probability through the preference channel.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng, Ziyi & Chen, Xi, 2024. "Cognitive ability, the Big Five, and rural-to-urban migration in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:84:y:2024:i:c:s1043951x24000154
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2024.102126
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cognitive ability; The Big Five factors; Rural-to-urban migration; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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