How parenting contributes to intergenerational inequality

Parenting practices play a crucial role in the intergenerational correlation of economic status. On average, parents with more education and income engage in more cognitive stimulation, interact with more warmth and consistency, and use harsh discipline less often with young children than their less economically advantaged peers. The origins of income- or education-based differences in parent behavior are inter-related and wide-ranging: they include macro-economic conditions, socio-economic and demographic factors (i.e., time and credit constraints), environmental factors (i.e., exposure to stress and violence), along with norms, beliefs and expectations, habits, and values. Strong evidence is lacking to suggest that differences in time, money or information explain large shares of the difference in parenting behaviors by SES. In contrast, factors related to stress and attention among lower-SES parents alongside a greater impact of cognitive biases and behavioral bottlenecks on parent decision-making are important and promising targets for intervention.