HABILIDADES COGNITIVAS: TRANSMISI´ ON INTERGENERACIONAL POR NIVELES SOCIOECON´ OMICOS

Using the ENNViH 2002 survey, a switching model shows that signifi- cant dierences exist in the formation of infant cognitive ability across Mexican social strata. Public policy variables and local economic char- acteristics are sucient to detect an important gradient in cognitive abilities and their family determinants in children. Children from lower strata acquire lower cognitive abilities and depend on the satisfaction of more basic needs than children in higher strata. Coecients for the lower strata are consistent with the existence of wealth restrictions that impede optimal investment in child development.