Testing for Racial Differences in the Mental Ability of Young Children

Fryer, Roland G; Levitt, Steven D

doi:10.1257/aer.103.2.981

Cited by 106Cognitive Abilities and TestingIntergenerational and Educational Inequality StudiesSchool Choice and Performance

Testing for Racial Differences in the Mental Ability of Young Children

Fryer, Roland G, Levitt, Steven D·2013·American Economic Review

DOI 10.1257/aer.103.2.981

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Abstract

Using a new nationally representative dataset, we find minor differences in test outcomes between black and white infants that disappear with a limited set of controls. However, relative to whites, all other races lose substantial ground by age two. Combining our estimates with results in prior literature, we show that a simple model with assortative mating fits our data well, implying that differences in children's environments between racial groups can fully explain gaps in intelligence. If parental ability influences a child's test scores both genetically and through environment, then our findings are less informative and can be reconciled with a wide range of racial differences in inherited intelligence.

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Students from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds on average begin school better prepared to learn.
“Students from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds on average begin school better prepared to learn (e.g., Fryer & Levitt, 2013).”
From Targeted school‐based interventions for improving reading and mathematics for students with or at risk of academic difficulties in Grades K‐6: A systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as Fryer & Levitt, 2013

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Cites a retracted work: 10.2466/pr0.1995.76.1.307
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The cited work was retracted on 2021-08-23 (notice 10.1177/00332941211042507), not before this paper was published (2013-04-01).
Cited work 10.2466/pr0.1995.76.1.307 · retracted 2021-08-23 · notice 10.1177/00332941211042507 · this paper published 2013-04-01

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Authors: Fryer, R. G., & Levitt, S. D.
Affiliations: Harvard University (US)
University of Chicago (US)
ORCID: Fryer, Roland G
Venue: American Economic Review
Publisher: American Economic Association
Published: 2013-04-01
Volume: 103
Issue: 2
Pages: 981-1005
ISSN: 0002-8282 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1257/aer.103.2.981
OpenAlex: W3121459665
Semantic Scholar: 4e44db7f44ad00ec77416f6fe10aa5ccdfc8ab11
Cited by: 106
References: 71
Citations by year: 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
FWCI: 14.42
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: American Economic Review (publishedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
Keywords: racial differences in intelligence, young children, black-white gap, assortative mating, parental ability

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Testing for Racial Differences in the Mental Ability of Young Children

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