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Early Education, Preferences, and Decision-Making Abilities

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  • Azevedo E Castro De Cardim,Joana
  • Amaro Da Costa Luz Carneiro,Pedro Manuel
  • Carvalho,Leandro S.
  • De Walque,Damien B. C. M.

Abstract

One way to advance understanding of individual differences in decision making is to study thedevelopment of children’s decision making. This paper studies the causal effects of daycare attendance onchildren’s economic preferences and decision-making abilities, exploiting a lottery system that randomizedadmissions into oversubscribed daycare centers in Rio de Janeiro. Overall, daycare attendance had no effect oneconomic preferences or decision-making abilities. However, it did increase aversion to disadvantageous inequality(having less than one’s peer). This increase is driven mostly by girls, a result that reproduces in a differentstudy that randomized admissions into preschool education.

Suggested Citation

  • Azevedo E Castro De Cardim,Joana & Amaro Da Costa Luz Carneiro,Pedro Manuel & Carvalho,Leandro S. & De Walque,Damien B. C. M., 2022. "Early Education, Preferences, and Decision-Making Abilities," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10187, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10187
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