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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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- Education (2)
- Panel Data (2)
- Stochastic Frontier (2)
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- Africa (1)
- BLUP (1)
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- Child Health and Obesity (1)
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- Food Environment (1)
- Forecasting (1)
- Foster Care (1)
- Free Lunch (1)
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- Growth Empirics (1)
- Higher-Order Network Effects (1)
Articles 1 - 22 of 22
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Technical Efficiency Of Public Middle Schools In New York City, William C. Horrace, Michah W. Rothbart, Yi Yang
Technical Efficiency Of Public Middle Schools In New York City, William C. Horrace, Michah W. Rothbart, Yi Yang
Center for Policy Research
Using panel data and a “true” fixed effect stochastic frontier model, we estimate persistent and transient technical inefficiency in mathematics (Math) and English Language Arts (ELA) test score gains in NYC public middle schools from 2014 to 2016. We compare several measures of transient technical inefficiency and show that around 58% of NYC middle schools are efficient in Math gains, while 16% are efficient in ELA gains. Multivariate inference techniques are used to determine subsets of efficient schools, providing actionable decision rules to help policymakers target resources and incentives.
The Effects Of Vietnam-Era Military Service On The Long-Term Health Of Veterans: A Bounds Analysis, Xintong Wang, Carloa A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes
The Effects Of Vietnam-Era Military Service On The Long-Term Health Of Veterans: A Bounds Analysis, Xintong Wang, Carloa A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes
Center for Policy Research
We analyze the short- and long-term effects of the U.S. Vietnam-era military service on veterans’ health outcomes using a restricted version of the National Health Interview Survey 1974-2013 and employing the draft lotteries as an instrumental variable (IV). We start by assessing whether the draft lotteries, which have been used as an IV in prior literature, satisfy the exclusion restriction by placing bounds on its net or direct effect on the health outcomes of draft avoiders. Since we do not find evidence against the validity of the IV, we assume its validity in conducting inference on the health effects of …
Health Have, Health Have Nots In A Time Of Covid-19, Sandro Galea
Health Have, Health Have Nots In A Time Of Covid-19, Sandro Galea
Center for Policy Research
In this brief, my goal is to talk about something which has animated a lot of my thinking and writing in the past decade. It is how our health is fundamentally socially patterned and reflects the world around us. This has been true for decades in this country, and one could also argue, globally, however this brief will focus on this topic at the national level. As you will see, I will talk mostly of health haves and health have nots in general, but as we progress, show how COVID-19 has made this evermore apparent.
A Panel Data Model With Generalized Higher-Order Network Effects, Badi Baltagi, Sophia Ding, Peter Egger
A Panel Data Model With Generalized Higher-Order Network Effects, Badi Baltagi, Sophia Ding, Peter Egger
Center for Policy Research
Many data situations require the consideration of network effects among the cross-sectional units of observation. In this paper, we present a generalized panel model which accounts for two features: (i) three types of network effects on the right-hand side of the model, namely through weighted dependent variable, weighted exogenous variables, as well as weighted error components, and (ii) higher-order network effects due to ex-ante unknown network-decay functions or the presence of multiplex (or multi-layer) networks among all of those. We outline the model, the basic assumptions, and present simulation results.
Health And Profit In Student Housing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Austin Mcneill Brown
Health And Profit In Student Housing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Austin Mcneill Brown
Population Health Research Brief Series
The decision to reopen some U.S. universities during the current COVID-19 pandemic may be tied to private financial interests in student housing.
How Can Mongolia Avoid The Resource Curse?, Batbayar Baatarkhuu
How Can Mongolia Avoid The Resource Curse?, Batbayar Baatarkhuu
English Language Institute
The resource curse paradox, i.e., that resource rich countries tend to have weaker economies than no-resource countries, causes challenges for low and middle-income countries, including Mongolia (Moran, 2013). To avoid the resource curse, Mongolia should undertake three policy measures: diversifying its economy, establishing a sovereign wealth fund and imposing import restrictions.
Regional Development Agencies In Turkey, Baris Alan
Regional Development Agencies In Turkey, Baris Alan
English Language Institute
This research examines to what extend (Neoliberal institutional structure of) the regional development agencies were successful in decreasing the regional development disparities between the regions of Turkey
Innovative Solution For Energy Supply In Rural Communities In Africa, Shilda Cardoso
Innovative Solution For Energy Supply In Rural Communities In Africa, Shilda Cardoso
English Language Institute
This research is a proposition of an innovative solution for energy supply in rural locations across Africa to stimulate social and economic growth. In the continuing unsolved problems in energy supply for rural communities across Africa, an Innovative solutions like solar energy can help change this status quo, and improve the lives of many people throughout the continent.
Genetic Risks, Adolescent Health And Schooling Attainment, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Hans-Peter Kohler
Genetic Risks, Adolescent Health And Schooling Attainment, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Hans-Peter Kohler
Center for Policy Research
We provide new evidence on the effect of adolescent health behaviors/outcomes (obesity, depression, smoking, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)) on schooling attainment using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We take two different approaches to deal with omitted variable bias and reverse causality. Our first approach attends to the issue of reverse causality by using health polygenic scores (PGSs) as proxies for actual adolescent health. Second, we estimate the effect of adolescent health using sibling fixed-effects models that control for unmeasured genetic and family factors shared by siblings. We use the PGSs as additional controls in …
Labor Market Policies In A Roy-Rosen Bargaining Economy, Hugo Jales, Zhengfei Yu
Labor Market Policies In A Roy-Rosen Bargaining Economy, Hugo Jales, Zhengfei Yu
Center for Policy Research
We study the effects of labor market policies using a bargaining model featuring compensating differentials (Rosen, 1986) and self-selection (Roy, 1951). The framework allows us to create a taxonomy of formal and informal employment. We use the model to estimate the effects of the minimum wage for the Brazilian economy using the “PNAD" dataset for the years 2001-2005. Our results suggest that, although the minimum wage generates unemployment and reallocation of labor to the informal sector, the policy might be desirable if the employment losses are concentrated in jobs characterized by low surplus.
Density Deconvolution With Laplace Errors And Unknown Variance, Jun Cai, William C. Horrace, Christopher Parmeter
Density Deconvolution With Laplace Errors And Unknown Variance, Jun Cai, William C. Horrace, Christopher Parmeter
Center for Policy Research
We consider density deconvolution with zero-mean Laplace noise in the context of an error component regression model. We adapt the minimax deconvolution methods of Meister (2006) to allow estimation of the unknown noise variance. We propose a semi-uniformly consistent estimator for an ordinary-smooth target density and a modified “variance truncation device" for the unknown noise variance. We provide a simulation study and practical guidance for the choice of smoothness parameters of the ordinary-smooth target density. We apply restricted versions of our estimator to a stochastic frontier model of US banks and to a measurement error model of daily saturated fat …
Growth Empirics: A Bayesian Semiparametric Model With Random Coefficients For A Panel Of Oecd Countries, Badi Baltagi, Georges Bresson, Jean-Michel Etienne
Growth Empirics: A Bayesian Semiparametric Model With Random Coefficients For A Panel Of Oecd Countries, Badi Baltagi, Georges Bresson, Jean-Michel Etienne
Center for Policy Research
This paper proposes semiparametric estimation of the relationship between growth rate of GDP per capita, growth rates of physical and human capital, labor as well as other covariates and common trends for a panel of 23 OECD countries observed over the period 1971-2015. The observed differentiated behaviors by country reveal strong heterogeneity. This is the motivation behind using a mixed fixed and random-coefficients model to estimate this relationship. In particular, this paper uses a semiparametric specification with random intercepts and slopes coefficients. Motivated by Lee and Wand (2016), we estimate a mean field variational Bayes semiparametric model with random coefficients …
Nonparametric Tests Of Tail Behavior In Stochastic Frontier Models, William C. Horrace, Yulong Wang
Nonparametric Tests Of Tail Behavior In Stochastic Frontier Models, William C. Horrace, Yulong Wang
Center for Policy Research
This article studies tail behavior for the error components in the stochastic frontier model, where one component has bounded support on one side, and the other has unbounded support on both sides. Under weak assumptions on the error components, we derive nonparametric tests that the unbounded component distribution has thin tails and that the component tails are equivalent. The tests are useful diagnostic tools for stochastic frontier analysis and kernel deconvolution density estimation. A simulation study and an application to a stochastic cost frontier for 6,100 US banks from 1998 to 2005 are provided. The new tests reject the normal …
Does Proximity To Fast Food Cause Childhood Obesity? Evidence From Public Housing, Jeehee Han, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Brian Elbel
Does Proximity To Fast Food Cause Childhood Obesity? Evidence From Public Housing, Jeehee Han, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Brian Elbel
Center for Policy Research
We examine the causal link between proximity to fast food and the incidence of childhood obesity among low-income households in New York City. Using individual-level longitudinal data on students living in public housing linked to restaurant location data, we exploit the naturally occurring within-development variation in distance to fast food restaurants to estimate the impact of proximity on obesity. Since the assignment of households to specific buildings is based upon availability at the time of assignment to public housing, the distance between student residence and retail outlets—including fast food restaurants, wait-service restaurants, supermarkets, and corner stores—is plausibly random. Our credibly …
Paying For Free Lunch: The Impact Of Cep Universal Free Meals On Revenues, Spending, And Student Health, Michah W. Rothbart, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Emily Gutierrez
Paying For Free Lunch: The Impact Of Cep Universal Free Meals On Revenues, Spending, And Student Health, Michah W. Rothbart, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Emily Gutierrez
Center for Policy Research
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows school districts to provide free meals to all students if more than 40 percent of students are individually eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. While emerging evidence documents positive effects on student behavior and academics (Gordon and Ruffini, 2019; Schwartz and Rothbart, 2020), critics worry that Universal Free Meals (UFM) has unintended consequences, including exacerbating student obesity and adding financial burden onto school districts. We use school and district level data from New York State (NYS) and a difference-in-differences design to test whether concerns over negative …
Network Competition And Team Chemistry In The Nba, William C. Horrace, Hyunseok Jung, Shane Sanders
Network Competition And Team Chemistry In The Nba, William C. Horrace, Hyunseok Jung, Shane Sanders
Center for Policy Research
We consider a heterogeneous social interaction model where agents interact with peers within their own network but also interact with agents across other (non-peer) networks. To address potential endogeneity in the networks, we assume that each network has a central planner who makes strategic network decisions based on observable and unobservable characteristics of the peers in her charge. The model forms a simultaneous equation system that can be estimated by Quasi-Maximum Likelihood. We apply a restricted version of our model to data on National Basketball Association games, where agents are players, networks are individual teams organized by coaches, and competition …
New York State Economic Status Of Regions And Development Programs, Michael Wasylenko
New York State Economic Status Of Regions And Development Programs, Michael Wasylenko
Economics - All Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Nonparametric Sample Splitting, Yoonseok Lee, Yulong Wang
Nonparametric Sample Splitting, Yoonseok Lee, Yulong Wang
Center for Policy Research
This paper develops a threshold regression model where an unknown relationship between two variables nonparametrically determines the threshold. We allow the observations to be crosssectionally dependent so that the model can be applied to determine an unknown spatial border for sample splitting over a random field. We derive the uniform rate of convergence and the nonstandard limiting distribution of the nonparametric threshold estimator. We also obtain the root-n consistency and the asymptotic normality of the regression coefficient estimator. Our model has broad empirical relevance as illustrated by estimating the tipping point in social segregation problems as a function of demographic …
Inference In Threshold Models, Yoonseok Lee, Yulong Wang
Inference In Threshold Models, Yoonseok Lee, Yulong Wang
Center for Policy Research
This paper develops new statistical inference methods for the parameters in threshold regression models. In particular, we develop a test for homogeneity of the threshold parameter and a test for linear restrictions on the regression coefficients. The tests are built upon a transformed partial-sum process after re-ordering the observations based on the rank of the threshold variable, which recasts the crosssectional threshold problem into the time-series structural break analogue. The asymptotic distributions of the test statistics are derived using this novel approach, and the finite sample properties are studied in Monte Carlo simulations. We apply the new tests to the …
New York State Economic Status Of Regions And Development Programs, Michael J. Wasylenko
New York State Economic Status Of Regions And Development Programs, Michael J. Wasylenko
Center for Policy Research
No abstract provided.
Forecasting With Unbalanced Panel Data, Badi Baltagi, Long Liu
Forecasting With Unbalanced Panel Data, Badi Baltagi, Long Liu
Center for Policy Research
This paper derives the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) for an unbalanced panel data model. Starting with a simple error component regression model with unbalanced panel data and random effects, it generalizes the BLUP derived by Taub (1979) to unbalanced panels. Next it derives the BLUP for an unequally spaced panel data model with serial correlation of the AR(1) type in the remainder disturbances considered by Baltagi and Wu (1999). This in turn extends the BLUP for a panel data model with AR(1) type remainder disturbances derived by Baltagi and Li (1992) from the balanced to the unequally spaced panel …
Do Foster Care Agencies Discriminate Against Gay Couples? Evidence From A Correspondence Study, Mattie Mackenzie-Oiu, David Schwegman, Leonard M. Lopoo
Do Foster Care Agencies Discriminate Against Gay Couples? Evidence From A Correspondence Study, Mattie Mackenzie-Oiu, David Schwegman, Leonard M. Lopoo
Center for Policy Research
There has been considerable recent debate regarding proposed policies that would allow foster care administrators to discriminate on the basis of the sexual orientation of the foster parent. To date, however, we know very little about the level of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the foster care system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical investigation to ask whether foster care agencies, the public and nonprofit firms that facilitate foster care placements, respond similarly to emails sent by fictitious same-sex and heterosexual couples who inquire about becoming foster parents. Our results suggest that …