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Cognitive Skills, Noncognitive Skills, and School-to-Work Transitions in Rural China

Author

Listed:
  • Glewwe, Paul

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Huang, Qiuqiong

    (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville)

  • Park, Albert

    (Hong Kong University of Science & Technology)

Abstract
Economists have long recognized the important role of formal schooling and cognitive skills on labor market participation and wages. More recently, increasing attention has turned to the role of personality traits, or noncognitive skills. This study is among the first to examine how both cognitive and noncognitive skills measured in childhood predict educational attainment and early labor market outcomes in a developing country setting. Analyzing longitudinal data on rural children from one of China's poorest provinces, we find that both cognitive and noncognitive skills, measured when children are 9-12, 13-16, and 17-21 years old, are important predictors of whether they remain in school or enter the work force at age 17-21. The predictive power of specific skill variables differ between boys and girls. Conditioning on years of schooling, there is no strong evidence that skills measured in childhood predict wages in the early years of labor market participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Glewwe, Paul & Huang, Qiuqiong & Park, Albert, 2017. "Cognitive Skills, Noncognitive Skills, and School-to-Work Transitions in Rural China," IZA Discussion Papers 10566, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Qihui Chen, 2017. "Impacts of Late School Entry on Children's Cognitive Development in Rural Northwestern China—Does Preprimary Education Matter?," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 586-601, September.
    3. Eric Edmonds & Ben Feigenberg & Jessica Leight, 2023. "Advancing the Agency of Adolescent Girls," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(4), pages 852-866, July.
    4. Maria Cinque & Stephanie Carretero & Joanna Napierala, 2021. "Non-cognitive skills and other related concepts: towards a better understanding of similarities and differences," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2021-09, Joint Research Centre.
    5. Christophe J Nordman & Leopold R Sarr & Smriti Sharma, 2019. "Skills, personality traits, and gender wage gaps: evidence from Bangladesh," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 71(3), pages 687-708.
    6. Jessica Leight & Elaine M. Liu, 2020. "Maternal Education, Parental Investment, and Noncognitive Characteristics in Rural China," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(1), pages 213-251.
    7. Wang, Yao & Wang, Chunchao & Zhang, Rui, 2023. "Parental non-cognitive abilities and child mental health," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    8. Zhao, Qiran & Wang, Xiaobing & Rozelle, Scott, 2019. "Better cognition, better school performance? Evidence from primary schools in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 199-217.
    9. Mark Mitchell & Marta Favara & Catherine Porter & Alan Sánchez, 2020. "Human Capital Development," Working Papers 308280110, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    10. Ozawa, Sachiko & Laing, Sarah K. & Higgins, Colleen R. & Yemeke, Tatenda T. & Park, Christine C. & Carlson, Rebecca & Ko, Young Eun & Guterman, L. Beryl & Omer, Saad B., 2022. "Educational and economic returns to cognitive ability in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    11. Mitchell, Mark & Favara, Marta & Porter, Catherine & Sanchez, Alan, 2020. "Human Capital Development: New Evidence on the Production of Socio-Emotional Skills," IZA Discussion Papers 13804, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Glewwe, Paul & Song, Yang & Zou, Xianqiang, 2022. "Labor market outcomes, cognitive skills, and noncognitive skills in rural China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 294-311.
    13. Chen, Anqi & Li, Yongyou, 2024. "Long-term effects of early-life education intervention on children’s outcomes: Evidence from school consolidation in rural China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    14. Nikolov, Plamen & Jimi, Nusrat & Chang, Jerray, 2020. "The Importance of Cognitive Domains and the Returns to Schooling in South Africa: Evidence from Two Labor Surveys," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Emmanuel Ngoy & Carla Sá & Paula Veiga, 2024. "Exploring socioeconomic-related inequality in children’s cognitive achievement in Peru," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 22(3), pages 809-832, September.
    16. Ahn, Taehyun & Goh, Young-Geun, 2021. "The long-term influences of ability mixing on soft skills," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 367-386.
    17. Hilger, Anne & Nordman, Christophe Jalil & Sarr, Leopold, 2018. "Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills, Hiring Channels, and Wages in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 11578, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Oswaldo Molina & Diego Santa María & Gustavo Yamada, 2024. "Study for Nothing? Gender and Access to Higher Education in a Developing Country," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(2), pages 517-561.
    19. María Ladrón de Guevara Rodríguez & Oscar David Marcenaro-Gutierrez & Luis Alejandro Lopez-Agudo, 2023. "On the Gender Gap of Soft-Skills: the Spanish Case," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(1), pages 167-197, February.
    20. Indrajit Bairagya & Rohit Mukerji, 2019. "Impact of non-cognitive skills on cognitive learning outcomes: A study of elementary education in India," Working Papers 452, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
    21. Danon, Alice & Das, Jishnu & de Barros, Andreas & Filmer, Deon, 2024. "Cognitive and socioemotional skills in low-income countries: Measurement and associations with schooling and earnings," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    22. Bhanot, Syon P. & Crost, Benjamin & Leight, Jessica & Mvukiyehe, Eric & Yedgenov, Bauyrzhan, 2021. "Can community service grants foster social and economic integration for youth? A randomized trial in Kazakhstan," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    23. Christophe J Nordman & Leopold R Sarr & Smriti Sharma, 2019. "Skills, personality traits, and gender wage gaps: evidence from Bangladesh," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 71(3), pages 687-708.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    school-to-work transition; noncognitive skills; cognitive skills; schooling; rural China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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