Evaluating the Impact of Preschool on Patience, Time Inconsistency and Commitment Demand

Abstract

We evaluate patience, time inconsistency and commitment demand among children. We first show that patience at ages 5-10 predicts reading scores up to 4 years later, even after controlling for prior cognition and executive function. Time inconsistency and commitment demand do not predict reading scores. Second, we evaluate whether preschool affects patience. We leverage a field experiment that randomized children to different preschool curricula. We find that the preschool curriculum focused on self-regulation improved patience overall relative to the control group. Further, preschool helps children use commitment devices to manage their time inconsistency, but does not affect time inconsistency directly.

Keywords: preschool, human capital, time preferences, patience, inconsistency

JEL Classification: I21, I24, J24, I26