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Paying Kids to Go to School Instead of Working

…of a field experiment where a conditional transfer incentivized the schooling of children associated with carpet factories in Nepal. We find that schooling increases and child involvement in carpet weaving…



A Study in Child Cooperation: Sweden vs. Colombia

…the cooperative behavior of Swedish children and Colombian children using the Prisoner’s Dilemma game, which explores how two parties cooperate in the absence of communication. Here’s the abstract: We compare…





Does "No Child Left Behind" Contribute to Obesity?

…pressures to produce academic outcomes may reallocate their efforts in ways that have unintended consequences for children’s health. For example, schools may cut back on recess and physical education in…





Can Economic Incentives Get You Pregnant?

…and detailed individual controls for all married Israeli women with two or more children during the six-year period 1999-2005,” the researchers compared fertility rates to fluctuations in government child subsidies…



Unintended Consequences for Children

International children’s rights advocates focus significant resources on eliminating child labor in developing countries, often advocating consumer boycotts and international regulation. Despite all these efforts, however, child labor is still…



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Episode 26

When is a ‘High-Risk’ Pregnancy a Good Thing?

Giving birth in the United States can be dangerous for both moms and their kids. Sometimes, that’s because of too little medical care — and sometimes, it’s the opposite….


Does Breastfeeding Reduce Childhood Disability?

…lower risk of child disability: Little is known about whether breastfeeding may prevent disabilities throughout childhood. We evaluate the effects of breastfeeding on child disability using data from the National…



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Episode 585

A Social Activist in Prime Minister’s Clothing

Justin Trudeau, facing record-low approval numbers, is doubling down on his progressive agenda. But he is so upbeat (and Canada-polite) that it’s easy to miss just how radical his vision…

It Takes a Village

…recent researches. noor asked: “It takes a whole community to raise a child” The Yale Book of Quotations traces the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” back…





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Episode 279

Chuck E. Cheese’s: Where a Kid Can Learn Price Theory

The pizza-and-gaming emporium prides itself on affordability, which means its arcade games are really cheap to play. Does that lead to kids hogging the best games — and parents starting…

What's the Best Way to "Sponsor" Baby Girls?

…NGOs that originally did it (most notoriously Save the Children) have been forced by critics to abandon it, and no reputable NGO promotes child sponsorship today. The reason it never…





The Freakonomics Q&A: Part One

…was helping the children in his care. Even if individual school districts don’t want to catch cheaters, you would think that the state and federal governments would have strong incentives…



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Episode 470

The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Replay)

According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty…

Against (Discretionary) Snow Days

think that most children are exposed to more miles of driving on a snow day than they would be if they went to school.? In our house, we often go…




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Episode 408

Does Anyone Really Know What Socialism Is? (Replay)

Trump says it would destroy us. Biden needs the voters who support it (especially the Bernie voters). The majority of millennials would like it to replace capitalism. But what is…

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Episode 79

School Photos

Picture day is an annual tradition for American families — and, for the companies that take the photos, a lucrative one. Zachary Crockett smiles for the camera….



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Episode 472

This Is Your Brain on Pollution

Air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths a year and cost the global economy nearly $3 trillion. But is the true cost even higher? Stephen Dubner explores the…

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Episode 384

Abortion and Crime, Revisited

The controversial theory linking Roe v. Wade to a massive crime drop is back in the spotlight as several states introduce abortion restrictions. Steve Levitt and John Donohue discuss their…