Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2022.2094984
Caring about the polluted attention: evidence from the inconsistent response existing in web-based survey
Mingying Zhu
Yifan Kang
Juan Liu
Abstract
Paying attention is one of the most important brain-based cognitive
skills. The detrimental effect of air pollution on brain function
has been largely studied by way of experiments in Neuroscience.
In this paper, we provide a new way to study the impact of air
pollution - in particular PM2.5 - on brain attention through
observing the inattentive responding of the participants in online
surveys. We construct the inconsistent index and connect it to
the individual’s exposure to air pollution. The preferred estimate
reveals that a one standard deviation of PM2.5 (around 30
lg=m3) increases the likelihood of inconsistency by 2.25%.
Further heterogeneous analysis shows that air pollution appears
to have larger effects on those young groups with high education
but low income, especially for students, and the number is 5.36%.
This study explores the impact of air pollution on brain health
from a new perspective, and also provides a mechanism to support
the recent study about air pollution and productivity.
Keywords
Air pollution; attention; inconsistent response; online survey
Hrčak ID:
304216
URI
Publication date:
31.3.2023.
Visits: 350 *