American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Mortality: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from the Minimum Drinking Age ChristopherCarpenterU CA, Irvine CarlosDobkinU CA, Santa Cruz 164 82 We estimate the effect of alcohol consumption on mortality using the minimum drinking age in a regression discontinuity design. We find large and immediate increases in drinking at age 21, including a 21 percent increase in recent drinking days. We also find a discrete 9 percent increase in the mortality rate at age 21, primarily due to motor vehicle accidents, alcohol-related deaths, and suicides. We estimate a 10 percent increase in the number of drinking days for young adults results in a 4.3 percent increase in mortality. Our results suggest policies that reduce drinking among young adults can have substantial public health benefits. (JEL I12, I18) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.164 10.1257/app.1.1.164 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/data/2007-0089_data.zip http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/app/2007-0089_app.pdf American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Biological Gender Differences, Absenteeism, and the Earnings Gap AndreaIchinoU Bologna EnricoMorettiU CA, Berkeley 183 218 In most countries, women are absent from work more frequently than men. Using personnel data, we find that the absences of women below the age of 45 follow a 28-day cycle, while the absences of men and of women over the age of 45 do not. We interpret this as evidence that the menstrual cycle increases female absenteeism. To investigate the effect on women's earnings, we use a simple model of statistical discrimination. Consistent with the model, we find absenteeism has a more negative effect on men's earnings and this difference declines with seniority. The increased absenteeism induced by the 28-day cycle explains at least 14 percent of the earnings gender differential. (JEL J16, J22, J31) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.183 10.1257/app.1.1.183 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/data/2007-0091_data.doc American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Fixing Market Failures or Fixing Elections? Agricultural Credit in India ShawnColeHarvard U 219 50 This paper integrates theories of political budget cycles with theories of tactical electoral redistribution to test for political capture in a novel way. Studying banks in India, I find that government-owned bank lending tracks the electoral cycle, with agricultural credit increasing by 5-10 percentage points in an election year. There is significant cross-sectional targeting, with large increases in districts in which the election is particularly close. This targeting does not occur in nonelection years or in private bank lending. I show capture is costly: elections affect loan repayment, and election-year credit booms do not measurably affect agricultural output. (JEL D72, O13, O17, Q14, Q18) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.219 10.1257/app.1.1.219 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/data/2007-0054_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article The Social Multiplier and Labor Market Participation of Mothers EricMaurinParis School of Economics JulieMoschionParis School of Economics 251 72 In France, as in the US, a mother's labor market participation is influenced by the sex composition of her two eldest siblings. This paper shows that it is also affected by the sex composition of the eldest siblings of the other mothers living in the same close neighborhood. Using the sex composition of neighbors' eldest siblings as an instrumental variable, we identify a significant elasticity of own labor market participation to neighbors' participation. We present supportive evidence by comparing the estimates under two regimes for family benefits (pre- and post-1994 reform) and using quarter of birth as an alternative instrument. (JEL J16, J22) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.251 10.1257/app.1.1.251 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/data/2007-0088_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Many Children Left Behind? Textbooks and Test Scores in Kenya PaulGlewweU MN, St Paul MichaelKremerHarvard U and Center for Global Development SylvieMoulinRabat American School 112 35 A randomized evaluation in rural Kenya finds, contrary to the previous literature, that providing textbooks did not raise average test scores. Textbooks did increase the scores of the best students (those with high pretest scores) but had little effect on other students. Textbooks are written in English, most students' third language, and many students could not use them effectively. More generally, the curriculum in Kenya, and in many other developing countries, tends to be oriented toward academically strong students, leaving many students behind in societies that combine a centralized educational system; the heterogeneity in student preparation associated with rapid educational expansion; and disproportionate elite power. (JEL O15, I21, I28, J13) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.112 10.1257/app.1.1.112 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/data/2007-0011_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Incentives and Services for College Achievement: Evidence from a Randomized Trial JoshuaAngristMIT DanielLangOntario Institute for Studies in Education, U Toronto PhilipOreopoulosU British Columbia 136 63 This paper reports on an experimental evaluation of strategies designed to improve academic performance among college freshmen. One treatment group was offered academic support services. Another was offered financial incentives for good grades. A third group combined both interventions. Service use was highest for women and for subjects in the combined group. The combined treatment also raised the grades and improved the academic standing of women. These differentials persisted through the end of second year, though incentives were given in the first year only. This suggests study skills among some treated women increased. In contrast, the program had no effect on men. (JEL I21, I28) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.136 10.1257/app.1.1.136 American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Sticking with Your Vote: Cognitive Dissonance and Political Attitudes SendhilMullainathanHarvard U EbonyaWashingtonYale U 86 111 Cognitive dissonance theory predicts that the act of voting for a candidate leads to a more favorable opinion of the candidate in the future. We find support for the empirical relevance of cognitive dissonance to political attitudes. We examine the presidential opinion ratings of voting-age eligibles and ineligibles two years after the president's election. We find that eligibles show two to three times greater polarization of opinions than comparable ineligibles. We find smaller effects when we compare polarization in opinions of senators elected during high turnout presidential campaign years with senators elected during nonpresidential campaign years. (JEL D72) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.86 10.1257/app.1.1.86 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/data/2007-0018_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Separated at Girth: US Twin Estimates of the Effects of Birth Weight HeatherRoyerCase Western Reserve U 49 85 The fetal origins hypothesis asserts that nutrient deprivation in utero can raise chronic disease risk. Within economics, this hypothesis has gained acceptance as a leading explanation for the correlations between birth weight, a proxy for fetal nutrient intake, and adult outcomes. Exploiting birth-weight differences between twins using (a) a newlycreated dataset of twins from 1960-1982 California birth records and (b) the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, I find birth weight is related to educational attainment, later pregnancy complications, and the birth weight of the next generation. These effects are generally small. However, the protective effects of birth weight vary across the birth-weight distribution. (JEL: I12, I21, J13) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.49 10.1257/app.1.1.49 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/data/2007-0002_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Labor Supply Responses to Large Social Transfers: Longitudinal Evidence from South Africa CallyArdingtonU Cape Town AnneCasePrinceton U VictoriaHosegoodLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 22 48 We quantify the labor supply responses of prime-aged adults to the presence of pensioners in their households, using longitudinal data collected in South Africa. We compare households and individuals before and after pension receipt and pension loss, which allows us to control for a host of unobservable household and individual characteristics that may determine labor market behavior. We find large cash transfers to the elderly lead to increased employment among prime-aged adults, which occurs primarily through labor migration. The pension's impact is attributable to the increase in household resources it represents, which can be used to stake migrants until they become self-sufficient, and to the presence of pensioners who can care for small children, which allows prime-aged adults to look for work elsewhere. (JEL H23, H55, I38, J22, O15) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.22 10.1257/app.1.1.22 http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/data/2007-0043_data.zip American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Editor's Note EstherDufloMIT iii vi http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.iii 10.1257/app.1.1.iii American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Educational Debt Burden and Career Choice: Evidence from a Financial Aid Experiment at NYU Law School EricaFieldHarvard U 1 21 This paper examines the influence of psychological responses to debt on career choices from an experiment in which alternative financial aid packages were assigned by lottery to a set of law school admits. The packages had equivalent monetary value, but one required the student to take on a loan that would be paid for by the school if he worked in public interest law, while the other covered tuition as long as the student worked in public interest law. If he did not, the student would be required to reimburse the school. Tuition assistance recipients have a 36 to 45 percent higher public interest placement rate and, when lottery results were announced before enrollment, were twice as likely to enroll. (JEL I21, I22, J44, D14) http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.1 10.1257/app.1.1.1 American Economic Association Nashville, TN 1945-7782 1945-7790 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics http://www.aeaweb.org/aej-applied/ 1 1 January 2009 http://www.aeaweb.org/issue.php?journal=APP&volume=1&issue=1 Journal Article Front Matter i i http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.1.1.i 10.1257/app.1.1.i