MARCH 20TH, 2025POSTED BY U. CHICAGO
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In a new podcast, a developmental psychologist explains how parents can best invest time to close the education gap.
New federal data paints a stark picture: American children are falling behind in reading and test scores, with the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged kids growing wider. But is this really just a problem of money?
University of Chicago developmental psychologist Ariel Kalil has spent her career studying how parents influence childhood development—not just through resources, but through daily habits and interactions.
On this episode of the Big Brains podcast, Kalil digs into the surprising science behind parental engagement, the behavioral biases that shape parenting decisions, and why simple interventions—like 15 minutes of reading a day—can have an outsized impact. Plus, she explains how AI and behavioral economics might provide new solutions for supporting parents in an era of rising inequality.
https://player.simplecast.com/a423e479-48be-4044-8966-2ffb4f45512f?dark=false
Read the transcript of this episode.
Source: University of Chicago