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An Economic Analysis of Tiger Parenting: Evidence from Child Developmental Delay or Learning Disability

Author

Listed:
  • Andy Chung

    (Department of Economics, University of Reading)

  • Yanyan Xiong

    (College of Economics, Zhejiang University)

  • Junsen Zhang

    (Department of Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

A controversy over “tiger parenting†was provoked by the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.†While the media and public often focus on its cultural implications and effectiveness in child-bearing, and economics literature focuses on the choice of parenting style with respect to economic conditions, this article takes a step further and examines the operation of parenting style by studying the economic implications related to a common method used by “tiger parents†in parenting their children: punishment. We argue that if parents employ punishment as an instrument to discipline their children to exert more effort in their human capital investment, the possibility of punishment should be increasing in children’s capability. We test this hypothesis by investigating the effect of children’s developmental delay or learning disabilities on the likelihood of parents punishing their children in case their academic results are below expectations, and find supportive evidence. Surprisingly, we find no evidence on parents being more kind to children with development deficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Andy Chung & Yanyan Xiong & Junsen Zhang, 2022. "An Economic Analysis of Tiger Parenting: Evidence from Child Developmental Delay or Learning Disability," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2022-05, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    • Handle: RePEc:rdg:emxxdp:em-dp2022-05
    as

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    File URL: https://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/economics/emdp202205.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthias Doepke & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2017. "Parenting With Style: Altruism and Paternalism in Intergenerational Preference Transmission," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 85, pages 1331-1371, September.
    2. Lingxin Hao & V.Joseph Hotz & GingerZ. Jin, 2008. "Games Parents and Adolescents Play: Risky Behaviour, Parental Reputation and Strategic Transfers," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(528), pages 515-555, April.
    3. Akabayashi, Hideo, 2006. "An equilibrium model of child maltreatment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 993-1025, June.
    4. Bruce A. Weinberg, 2001. "An Incentive Model of the Effect of Parental Income on Children," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(2), pages 266-280, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    punishment; developmental delay or learning disabilities; human capital investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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