Seminars & Events
APL (Ajiken Power Lunch)
Dr Minhee Chae (Nankai University): Childhood Shocks, Learned Helplessness, and Adult Disengagement: Evidence from China’s “Lying Flat” Phenomenon
Date & time
Wednesday, 18th November, 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Venue
Abstract
Childhood disadvantage may reduce adult engagement with work and life by shaping beliefs about whether effort pays off. We study this mechanism in the context of China’s “lying flat” phenomenon, which captures withdrawal from work, competition, and future-oriented life choices. A lab-in-the-field randomised experiment with blue collar workers in China’s manufacturing hubs demonstrates that short term exposure to an uncontrollable environment can induce helplessness, decrease effort, and lower life aspirations. Survey data from these same blue-collar workers shows that childhood separation from parents, a common shock among children of migrant workers, has a similar effect. Individuals who were left behind in childhood exhibit greater learned helplessness, lower grit, and stronger disengagement from work and life in adulthood.
Speaker
Dr Minhee Chae (Nankai University)
Moderator
Contact:
Institute of Developing Economies, APL Organizers
E-mail: APL