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Parental Beliefs about Returns to Different Types of Investments in School Children

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  • Orazio Attanasio
  • Teodora Boneva
  • Christopher Rauh

Abstract

Using a representative sample of 1,962 parents in England, we study how parents perceive the returns to parental time investments, material investments, and school quality. Parents perceive the returns to three hours of weekly time investments or £30 of weekly material investments to matter more than moving a child to a better school. Material investments are perceived as more productive if children attend higher-quality schools. Perceived returns do not differ with the child’s initial human capital or gender, and they are highly correlated with actual investment decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Orazio Attanasio & Teodora Boneva & Christopher Rauh, 2022. "Parental Beliefs about Returns to Different Types of Investments in School Children," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 57(6), pages 1789-1825.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:57:y:2022:i:6:p:1789-1825
    Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.2.0719-10299R1
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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