HOME COMPUTER USE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Malamud, Ofer; Pop-Eleches, Cristian
• 署名单位: University of Chicago; National Bureau of Economic Research; Columbia University
• 刊物名称: QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-5533
• DOI: 10.1093/qje/qjr008
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 987-1027
• 关键词: regression discontinuity designs; sex-differences; wage structure; childrens; IMPACT; television

摘要

This paper uses a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effect of home computers on child and adolescent outcomes by exploiting a voucher program in Romania. Our main results indicate that home computers have both positive and negative effects on the development of human capital. Children who won a voucher to purchase a computer had significantly lower school grades but show improved computer skills. There is also some evidence that winning a voucher increased cognitive skills, as measured by Raven's Progressive Matrices. We do not find much evidence for an effect on non-cognitive outcomes. Parental rules regarding homework and computer use attenuate the effects of computer ownership, suggesting that parental monitoring and supervision may be important mediating factors.