American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Uncovering Peer Effects in Social and Academic Skills
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 15,
no. 3, July 2023
(pp. 35–79)
Abstract
This paper studies the impact of adolescent peers who are central in their social network on the formation of social skills and academic performance of fellow students. I conduct a novel large-scale field experiment at selective public boarding schools in Peru with two treatments: (i) more socially central versus less socially central peers, and (ii) higher-achieving versus lower-achieving peers. Peer effects are more pronounced for social skills than academic performance, and both vary by gender. While socially central peers lead boys to better social skills, higher-achieving peers decrease girls' test scores. Gender differences in self-confidence can explain both findings.Citation
Zárate, Román Andrés. 2023. "Uncovering Peer Effects in Social and Academic Skills." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 15 (3): 35–79. DOI: 10.1257/app.20210583Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- I21 Analysis of Education
- I26 Returns to Education
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
- Z13 Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
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