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80,000 Hours Podcast

#126 – Bryan Caplan on whether lazy parenting is OK, what really helps workers, and betting on beliefs

Apr 5, 2022
Bryan Caplan, an economist at George Mason University and author, challenges common beliefs about parenting in his discussion. He argues that genetics may play a more significant role than parental actions in shaping children's futures. The conversation dives into labor regulations, the complexities of employment, and the benefits of deregulating labor markets through immigration reform. Caplan also shares insights on voting behavior, self-interest, and the philosophical implications of free will, making for a thought-provoking exchange.
02:15:16

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Parenting has minimal impact on children's outcomes based on research from twin and adoption studies.
  • Immigrants tend to assimilate and adopt the culture of their new country.

Deep dives

Minimal impact of parenting on children's outcomes

Research from twin studies and adoption studies consistently show that the impact of parenting on children's outcomes is minimal. While parents may consciously try to improve health, intelligence, happiness, success, character, values, and the parent-child relationship, the evidence suggests that family environment has little to no effect on these outcomes, or the effects are much smaller than expected. Twin studies demonstrate that genetic factors play a greater role in personality traits than parenting. However, parents do have influence on their children's memories and perceptions of them, and the quality of the parent-child relationship can have a meaningful effect on the child's perception of the parent's character.

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