TY - UNPB
T1 - Understanding peer effects : on the nature, estimation and channels of peer effects
AU - Feld, J.F.
AU - Zölitz, U.N.
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - This paper estimates peer effects in a university context where students are randomly assigned to sections. While students benefit from better peers on average, lowachieving students are harmed by high-achieving peers. Analyzing students’ course evaluations suggests that peer effects are driven by improved group interaction rather than adjustments in teachers’ behavior or students’ effort. We further show, building on Angrist (2014), that classical measurement error in a setting where group assignment is systematic can lead to substantial overestimation of peer effects. With random assignment, as is the case in our setting, estimates are only attenuated.
AB - This paper estimates peer effects in a university context where students are randomly assigned to sections. While students benefit from better peers on average, lowachieving students are harmed by high-achieving peers. Analyzing students’ course evaluations suggests that peer effects are driven by improved group interaction rather than adjustments in teachers’ behavior or students’ effort. We further show, building on Angrist (2014), that classical measurement error in a setting where group assignment is systematic can lead to substantial overestimation of peer effects. With random assignment, as is the case in our setting, estimates are only attenuated.
U2 - 10.26481/umaror.2016001
DO - 10.26481/umaror.2016001
M3 - Working paper
T3 - ROA Research Memoranda
BT - Understanding peer effects : on the nature, estimation and channels of peer effects
PB - ROA
CY - Maastricht
ER -