Episode Details

Dylan Matthews, Dara Lind, and Vox policy editor Libby Nelson discuss the findings of two recent studies on early childhood development. One study found that cash transfers increase brain activity in infants, while the other found a negative impact of universal pre-K on academic outcomes. So ... what’s actually going on here? Does one negate the other? The Weeds team talks it out. Plus, a white paper on the effects of parenthood on voter turnout.

References:

Dylan’s story on the cash-transfer study and his piece on the universal pre-K findings

The impact of a poverty reduction intervention on infant brain activity. PNAS

The New York Times’s Jason DeParle’s take on the cash-transfer study

Scott Alexander summarizes the skeptical takes on the cash transfer study

Noah Smith’s review of the research on pre-K, and Kelsey Piper’s

Effects of a Statewide Pre-Kindergarten Program on Children’s Achievement and Behavior Through Sixth Grade

White Paper: Parents, Infants and Voter Turnout: Evidence from the United States

Hosts:

Dylan Matthews (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, Vox

Dara Lind (@dlind), immigration reporter, ProPublica

Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson), policy editor, Vox

Credits:

Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineer

Libby Nelson, editorial adviser

Amber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcasts

Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter 

Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices