Math skills and market and non-market outcomes: Evidence from an Amazonian society of forager-farmers

B-Tier
Journal: Economics of Education Review
Year: 2013
Volume: 37
Issue: C
Pages: 138-147

Authors (7)

Undurraga, Eduardo A. (not in RePEc) Behrman, Jere R. (University of Pennsylvania) Grigorenko, Elena L. (not in RePEc) Schultz, Alan (not in RePEc) Yiu, Julie (not in RePEc) TAPS Bolivia Study Team, (not in RePEc) Godoy, Ricardo A. (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.287 = (α=2.01 / 7 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Research in industrial nations suggests that formal math skills are associated with improvements in market and non-market outcomes. But do these associations also hold in a highly autarkic setting with a limited formal labor market? We examined this question using observational annual panel data (2008 and 2009) from 1121 adults in a native Amazonian society of forager-farmers in Bolivia (Tsimane’). Formal math skills were associated with an increase in wealth in durable market goods and in total wealth between data collection rounds, and with improved indicators of own reported perceived stress and child health. These associations did not vary significantly by people's Spanish skills or proximity to town. We conclude that the positive association between math skills and market and non-market outcomes extends beyond industrial nations to even highly autarkic settings.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:ecoedu:v:37:y:2013:i:c:p:138-147
Journal Field
Education
Author Count
7
Added to Database
2026-01-24