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An examination of peer effects using high school competition realignments

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  • Ashby, Nathan J.

Abstract

This study reports improvements for high school swimmers reassigned to higher competitive classifications compared to swimmers remaining in the same classification in consecutive seasons as transmitted through changes in peer quality and ordinal ranking. The enrollment criterion adopted by high school athletic associations in the United States for the designation of competitive classifications provides plausibly exogenous assignments to environments of varying competition levels for better identification of peer effects. Evidence of responses that vary by stroke complexity may motivate future research to investigate the applicability of the findings to settings with similar levels of task heterogeneity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ashby, Nathan J., 2023. "An examination of peer effects using high school competition realignments," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 122-135.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:206:y:2023:i:c:p:122-135
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2022.12.006
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer effects; Competition; Tournaments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • Z22 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Labor Issues

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