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A Double Machine Learning Approach to Estimate the Effects of Musical Practice on Student's Skills

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  • Knaus, Michael C.

    (University of Tübingen)

Abstract

This study investigates the dose-response effects of making music on youth development. Identification is based on the conditional independence assumption and estimation is implemented using a recent double machine learning estimator. The study proposes solutions to two highly practically relevant questions that arise for these new methods: (i) How to investigate sensitivity of estimates to tuning parameter choices in the machine learning part? (ii) How to assess covariate balancing in high-dimensional settings? The results show that improvements in objectively measured cognitive skills require at least medium intensity, while improvements in school grades are already observed for low intensity of practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Knaus, Michael C., 2018. "A Double Machine Learning Approach to Estimate the Effects of Musical Practice on Student's Skills," IZA Discussion Papers 11547, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11547
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Lechner & Jana Mareckova, 2024. "Comprehensive Causal Machine Learning," Papers 2405.10198, arXiv.org.
    2. Oyenubi, Adeola & Kollamparambil, Umakrishnan, 2023. "Does noncompliance with COVID-19 regulations impact the depressive symptoms of others?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    3. Michael C Knaus, 2022. "Double machine learning-based programme evaluation under unconfoundedness [Econometric methods for program evaluation]," The Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 25(3), pages 602-627.
    4. Jonathan Fuhr & Philipp Berens & Dominik Papies, 2024. "Estimating Causal Effects with Double Machine Learning -- A Method Evaluation," Papers 2403.14385, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2024.
    5. Huber, Martin & Meier, Jonas & Wallimann, Hannes, 2022. "Business analytics meets artificial intelligence: Assessing the demand effects of discounts on Swiss train tickets," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 22-39.
    6. Wang, Xiqian & Bian, Yong & Zhang, Qin, 2023. "The effect of cooking fuel choice on the elderly’s well-being: Evidence from two non-parametric methods," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    7. Jeffrey Smith, 2022. "Treatment Effect Heterogeneity," Evaluation Review, , vol. 46(5), pages 652-677, October.
    8. Philipp Bach & Victor Chernozhukov & Malte S. Kurz & Martin Spindler & Sven Klaassen, 2021. "DoubleML -- An Object-Oriented Implementation of Double Machine Learning in R," Papers 2103.09603, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2024.
    9. Rolando Gonzales Martinez, 2021. "How good is good? Probabilistic benchmarks and nanofinance+," Papers 2103.01669, arXiv.org.
    10. Luyuan Song & Xiaojun Zhang, 2024. "Estimating the Individual Treatment Effect with Different Treatment Group Sizes," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
    11. McNamara, Sarah, 2020. "Returns to higher education and dropouts: A double machine learning approach," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-084, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    double machine learning; extracurricular activities; music; cognitive and non-cognitive skills; youth development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Z11 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economics of the Arts and Literature
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • 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

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