Changing Households' Investments And Aspirations Through Social Interactions : Evidence From A Randomized Transfer Program

Vakis, Renos; Macours, Karen

doi:10.1596/1813-9450-5137

Cited by 77 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This is an important warning for studies that use satisfaction with life questions as the only indicator of subjective wellbeing. We also observed the influence of peer groups -highlighted as important by Vakis and Macours (2009), among others -in forming people's 'cognitive window' (Ray, 2003) within which they aspire and pursue aspirations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…They are always formed in interaction and in the thick of social life ' (2004:67). His proposition is supported by Macours and Vakis (2009) who find that the aspirations and investments of Nicaraguan households after receipt of a cash transfer are primarily influenced by their social interactions. Appadurai (2004:65-6) further observes that poor people can oscillate between an alienation from and a 'deep moral attachment' towards societal norms that support their own oppression: 'the poor are frequently in a position where they are encouraged to subscribe to norms whose social effect is to further diminish their dignity, exacerbate their inequality, and deepen their lack of access to material goods and services'.…”

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confidence: 91%

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Cultures of Aspiration and Poverty? Aspirational Inequalities in Northeast and Southern Thailand

et al. 2012

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, it provides an opportunity for staff, associated researchers and fellows to disseminate original research and policy advice on a wide range of subjects. All papers are peer reviewed within the School. About the School of International DevelopmentThe School of International Development (DEV) applies economic, social and natural science disciplines to the study of international development, with special emphasis on social and environmental change and poverty alleviation. DEV has a strong commitment to an interdisciplinary research and teaching approach to Development Studies and the study of poverty.International Development UEA (formerly Overseas Development Group) Founded in 1967, International Development UEA is a charitable company wholly owned by the University of East Anglia, which handles the consultancy, research, and training undertaken by the faculty members in DEV and approximately 200 external consultants. Since its foundation it has provided training for professionals from more than 70 countries and completed over 1,000 consultancy and research assignments. International Development UEA provides DEV staff with opportunities to participate in on-going development work, practical and policy related engagement which add a unique and valuable element to the School's teaching programmes. AbstractThe paper provides micro-level evidence of rising inequality in Thailand, using data from an intensive study of seven communities in Northeast and Southern Thailand. This inequality affects participants' material and subjective wellbeing, their aspirations, and the extent to which they feel these are realised. The paper argues that adaptation, expressed as reduced aspirations, could explain why the effect of material poverty on people's satisfaction with their lives is small. The reduction in attainment of aspirations linked to socio-economic status suggests that a small, but constant group of people are being excluded from a shift in the societal consensus over what constitutes a good life.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

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confidence: 91%

Cultures of Aspiration and Poverty? Aspirational Inequalities in Northeast and Southern Thailand

et al. 2012

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“…Overall, the literature on aspiration formation has focused mainly on the effect of direct or indirect encouragement from role models (Beaman et al, 2012;Miller and Connolly, 2013;Macours and Vakis, 2009;Nguyen, 2008). This study provides novel evidence that improvements in own health can lead to immediate improvements in aspirations of future mobility.…”

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confidence: 99%

Iron Deficiency and Schooling Attainment in Peru

Chong

Cohen

Field

et al. 2016

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

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A key question in development economics is whether nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational poverty traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born into poverty. To assess the causal influence on human capital of one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies, supplemental iron pills were made available at a local health center in rural Peru and adolescents were encouraged to take them up via classroom media messages. Results from school administrative records provide novel evidence that reducing iron deficiency results almost immediately in a large and significant improvement in school performance. For anemic students, an average of 10 100mg iron pills over three months improves average test scores by 0.4 standard deviations and increases the likelihood of grade progression by 11%. Supplementation also raises anemic students' aspirations for the future. Both results indicate that cognitive deficits from iron-deficiency anemia contribute to a nutrition-based poverty trap. Our findings also demonstrate that, with low-cost outreach efforts in schools, supplementation programs offered through a public clinic can be both affordable and effective in reducing rates of adolescent IDA.

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“…Exposing poor individuals to successful role models from a similar social background is such a mechanism that is found to have the desired effect. Macours and Vakis (2008) find that the responsiveness to an asset transfer program would increase if the test subjects were exposed to a female leader that also participated in that program. They argue that the proximity to the female leaders increases the aspirations of the test subjects, which in turn increases their investment and human skill accumulation.…”

Section: The Aspirations Conceptmentioning

confidence: 89%

Migration Experience, Aspirations and the Brain Drain Theory and Empirical Evidence

Böhme

Glaser

2014

SSRN Journal

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. We develop a theoretical model of human skill formation and emigration. Additionally to existing brain drain models, we partly endogenize the heterogeneity of the individuals, by introducing aspirations. Emigration of an individual will result in a migration experience, which increases the migrant's aspirations. This will induce her to invest more in the education of her children back home. We find that this aspirations effect increases the average skill level in the society for a given migration rate. We show that the optimal migration rate that maximizes the post-migration skill-rate of the population is higher if we allow for the aspirations effect of migration. We use panel data from Indonesia to demonstrate that a migration experience has an aspirations increasing effect and calibrate our model accordingly. Our results suggest that there are potentially more countries than previously assumed which benefit from migration. Terms of use: Documents in

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Changing Households' Investments And Aspirations Through Social Interactions : Evidence From A Randomized Transfer Program

Cited by 77 publications

References 32 publications

Cultures of Aspiration and Poverty? Aspirational Inequalities in Northeast and Southern Thailand

Cultures of Aspiration and Poverty? Aspirational Inequalities in Northeast and Southern Thailand

Iron Deficiency and Schooling Attainment in Peru

Migration Experience, Aspirations and the Brain Drain Theory and Empirical Evidence

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