Student’s SES and the Effect of Schooling on Cognitive Development

Abstract

Schooling is considered the major factor underlying cognitive development. This study contributes to the investigation of this central issue by comparing, for the first time, the effects of schooling on the cognitive development of students differing in their socioeconomic status (SES). The findings reveal the existence of a sizeable interaction between schooling and the students‟ SES. Both the absolute and the relative (to the effect of age) effects of schooling are considerably higher among high-SES students.