New rural pension scheme, intergenerational interaction and rural family human capital investments

INTRODUCTION: The new rural pension scheme (NRPS) can improve the quality of life for rural older adult individuals; however, can it have a spillover effect on rural household human capital investments through intergenerational interactions? METHODS: Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 and from the perspective of intergenerational interactions, the spillover effect and influencing mechanism of the new rural insurance policy on rural household human capital investments are empirically tested. RESULTS: The results show that the participation of families in the new rural insurance policy can significantly promote the human capital investments of rural families, and they are robust. Moreover, the spillover effect of this new policy is significantly different due to the gender, insurance phase, and family income of the insured. Through intergenerational interactions, the new rural insurance policy has an impact on the human capital investments of rural families from the material level of intergenerational economic support, housework and childcare for children and the nonmaterial level of old-age care cognition. DISCUSSION: Therefore, continuing to promote the coverage of the new rural insurance policy and scientifically improving rural social security through publicity and education to promote benign intergenerational family interactions can improve the accumulation of human capital in rural areas.