Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/263648 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15432
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Cognitive performance in late adulthood is critical for better welfare and understanding the causes of human capital depreciation in old age is increasingly crucial in aging societies. Using data from South Africa, we study how early life education affects cognition, a component of human capital critical to decision-making, in late adulthood. We show that an extra year of schooling improves memory and general cognition performance. We detect heterogeneous treatment effects by gender: the effects are stronger among women. We explore mechanisms and show that a more supportive social environment, improved health habits, and reduced stress levels are likely mediators for the beneficial effects of increased educational attainment on old-age cognition.
Subjects: 
human capital
educational attainment
cognitive performance
developing countries
aging
sub-Saharan Africa
JEL: 
J14
J24
I21
F63
N37
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
721.63 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.