Does additional education affect memory consistently? An analysis of compulsory schooling reforms across Europe and U.S

Datos Bibliográficos

ID19392829
AutoresFrancisco Perez‐arce (0000-0003-1560-5398, Center for Social and Economic Research, autor de correspondencia), David Knapp (0000-0002-9469-0692, University of Southern California), Rachel Lobo (University of Georgia), McKayla Wenner (University of Southern California), Arie Kapteyn (0000-0002-1855-5528, University of Southern California)
Año2026
Volumen403
Páginas119377
Fecha de publicación2026-08-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSocial Science & Medicine (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0277-9536 • E-ISSN: 1873-5347
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119377
PMID42160985
OpenAlexW7160388634
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas19

BACKGROUND: A growing literature suggests that education positively influences cognitive function in later life. However, the magnitude and consistency of this effect across study designs and populations remain open questions. METHODS: This study re-examines results from the quasi-experimental studies of compulsory schooling reforms in Europe and the United States that estimate the causal effect of education on late-life memory performance. We use harmonized aging survey data from a new systematic coding and documentation of compulsory schooling laws (the Gateway to Global Aging's Education Policy Explorer), and estimate the robustness of findings across a set of methodological decisions (regression specifications, and sample restrictions). RESULTS: Large sample size requirements often lead to underpowered studies, and researchers face numerous degrees of freedom in their statistical specification, including subpopulation definitions, choice of outcome variables, and functional forms. While most published studies report positive effects of education on memory, we find that the results of the cross-country continental European studies are not robust to specification choices. Results for the UK and US reforms are more robust to specification choices. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of comparability and assessment of robustness to alternative regression specification choices when estimating effects of compulsory schooling on memory

Affect (linguistics) · Compulsory education · Developed country · Public policy · Socioeconomic status · Educator Training and Historical Pedagogy · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration