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Bad Apples, Goody Two Shoes and Average Joes: The Role of Peer Group Definitions in Estimation of Peer Effects

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Author Info
Timothy J. Halliday () (Department of Economics & John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa)
Sally Kwak () (Department of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa)

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Abstract

The potential influence of peers and social networks on individual outcomes is important to a variety of educational policy debates including school vouchers, special education, middle school grade configurations and tracking. Researchers usually address the identification problems associated with credibly estimating peer effects in these settings but often do not account for ad-hoc definitions of peer-groups. In this paper, we use extensive information on peer groups to demonstrate that accurate definitions of the peer network seriously impact estimation of peer effects. We estimate the effect of peers’ smoking, drinking, sexual behavior and educational achievement on a teen’s propensity to engage in like-minded behavior and address the major identification problems that plague estimation of these effects.

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File URL: http://www.economics.hawaii.edu/research/workingpapers/WP_07-30.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function: First version, 2007
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 200730.

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Length: 27 pages
Date of creation: 01 Dec 2007
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hai:wpaper:200730

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Related research
Keywords: Peer Effects; Education; Adolescent Health;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Production
I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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  4. Eric A. Hanushek & John F. Kain & Jacob M. Markman & Steven G. Rivkin, 2001. "Does Peer Ability Affect Student Achievement?," NBER Working Papers 8502, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Julie Berry Cullen & Brian A Jacob & Steven Levitt, 2006. "The Effect of School Choice on Participants: Evidence from Randomized Lotteries," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 74(5), pages 1191-1230, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Alexandre Mas & Enrico Moretti, 2006. "Peers at Work," IZA Discussion Papers 2292, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  8. Alejandro Gaviria & Steven Raphael, 2001. "School-Based Peer Effects And Juvenile Behavior," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(2), pages 257-268, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Aizer, Anna & Currie, Janet, 2004. "Networks or neighborhoods? Correlations in the use of publicly-funded maternity care in California," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 2573-2585, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Victor Lavy & M. Daniele Paserman & Analia Schlosser, 2008. "Inside the Black of Box of Ability Peer Effects: Evidence from Variation in the Proportion of Low Achievers in the Classroom," NBER Working Papers 14415, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. repec:att:wimass:199217 is not listed on IDEAS
  12. Arcidiacono, Peter & Nicholson, Sean, 2005. "Peer effects in medical school," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2-3), pages 327-350, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  13. Mary A. Burke & Tim R. Sass, 2006. "Classroom Peer Effects and Student Achievement," Working Papers wp2006_02_02, Department of Economics, Florida State University. [Downloadable!]
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  14. Diane Whitmore, 2005. "Resource and Peer Impacts on Girls' Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 199-203, May. [Downloadable!]
  15. Kelly Bedard & Chau Do, 2005. "Are Middle Schools More Effective?: The Impact of School Structure on Student Outcomes," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 40(3). [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  16. Joshua D. Angrist & Kevin Lang, 2004. "Does School Integration Generate Peer Effects? Evidence from Boston's Metco Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(5), pages 1613-1634, December. [Downloadable!]
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  17. Lefgren, Lars, 2004. "Educational peer effects and the Chicago public schools," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 169-191, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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