Yesterday afternoon, the Pendleton Room in the Union was filled to capacity with students and faculty as Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman lectured about the role that early life investments, both material and emotional, plays in human development.

Heckman, who is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, spoke about ongoing studies in the economics, psychology and sociology fields examining the role that gaps in cognitive and noncognitive abilities play in children's growth.

During yesterday’s speech, Heckman said early childhood interventions and family dynamics play a key role in children’s cognitive development.

He said parents must invest in their children early because it is significantly harder for them to experience greater growth in development, by the time they are adolescents.

“We know that cognitive ability plays a very big role, and that these gaps are opening up very early,” he said. “If you condition cognitive ability you are more likely to be going to college. Those gaps are largely there by age three.”

He added that those born into disadvantaged environments struggle to achieve a successful level of development. These disadvantages can range from a lack of resources to decreased parental involvement.

LSA senior Elizabeth Kirk said she agreed with Heckman’s claims about the importance of early childhood development.

“I am planning on teaching for Teach for America, so all of what he said about investing in early childhood development is important to me,” said Kirk. “But I think it’s a failure of school systems to facilitate ways for families to be part of their children’s academic experience rather than a failure of the families and I think that is one of the failures of our educational system. But I do agree with his point that those are skills you can’t make up for later.”

Public Policy Prof. Bob Schoeni said Heckman was chosen as the keynote speaker for this year’s conference because of his cutting-edge research in the field.

Though Heckman’s research is incomplete, Schoeni said he believes the findings will support the growing interest in the effects of early life investment in children.

“My guess is that within the next three to 10 years we are going to have better data and ideas and methods to answer the questions that we can’t answer yet,” he said. “I think there is a growing appreciation for the fact that early life investments are very important. I believe the policy community is beginning to realize this.”