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Natural disasters and human capital accumulation: Evidence from the 1976 Tangshan earthquake

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  • Tian, Xinping
  • Gong, Jinquan
  • Zhai, Zhe

Abstract

This study analyzes the effects of fetal exposure to an earthquake in China on long-term human capital accumulation. We exploit the geographical and cohort variation in exposure to the 1976 Tangshan earthquake as a natural experiment. We separately estimate the effects of in utero exposure to high-intensity and low-intensity earthquake shaking. Difference-in-differences results indicate that individuals who experienced either high-intensity or low-intensity earthquake shaking in utero have lower educational attainment in adulthood. Since almost all the casualties and economic losses were concentrated in high-intensity regions during the earthquake, we argue that maternal psychological stress is a potential mechanism behind the effects of low-intensity shaking. We also find that females are more affected than males. However, we find no evidence of adverse effects on labor market outcomes.

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  • Tian, Xinping & Gong, Jinquan & Zhai, Zhe, 2022. "Natural disasters and human capital accumulation: Evidence from the 1976 Tangshan earthquake," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:90:y:2022:i:c:s0272775722000772
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102304
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Natural disasters; Earthquake; Human capital; Maternal stress; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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