There are numerous examples of the consequences of climate change for our societies across a variety of fields. Still, relatively few studies have analyzed the impacts on education and cognitive abilities. Vietnamese economist Tien Manh Vu, however, has been able to prove that rising temperatures have a significant negative impact on mathematics test performances (“Effects of heat on mathematics test performance in Vietnam”, Asian Economic Journal2022).
This confirms the results of previous studies but remains one of the very first to focus on a developing country. The subject is particularly important for these countries, which tend to be in the hottest regions. They tend to have poor populations who are more exposed to heat and have fewer means to reduce the individual impacts of global warming. It’s also a crucial finding for Vietnam, which is investing heavily in education.
The main mechanism determining individual performance relates to heat tolerance. In this case, mathematical problem-solving depends on brain function in an area of the prefrontal cortex and neural circuitry. In addition, high temperatures reduce cerebral blood flow and therefore test performance efficiency.
300,000 students
Conducting this type of research poses several methodological problems and requires high-quality data. The contribution of this article addresses these two challenges. The author cross-references the results of Vietnamese university entrance exam mathematics tests in 2009 with very precise data collected by an American meteorological agency. Geolocation of these data points allows us to link them to the test locations and to nearly 300,000 students who took the test.
Moreover, the author takes several methodological precautions to best measure the desired effect and acknowledges certain limitations to his study. For example, the data is old, taken at a time when global warming was not being felt as strongly as today.
Indeed, the paper only allows for a comparison of the effects of heat at a given time between regions with different temperatures but does not allow for direct measurement of the impact of increased temperatures in a given location. During the test period in July 2009, temperatures averaged over 28°C, compared to regarding 25.5°C between 1950 and 2009. Finally, the effect of humidity – which further increases the impact of heat – is not taken into account.
Rural inhabitants more vulnerable
In the end, the results are clear. A one-degree increase in temperature leads to a modest but significant decrease in average math test scores. The results are mostly independent of the students’ region of origin, something which contradicts the myth that individuals living in warmer regions are better adapted to climatic conditions. In addition, the impact of heat waves creates inequalities, with women and rural inhabitants being the most vulnerable.
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