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Good peers have asymmetric gendered effects on female educational outcomes: Experimental evidence from Mexico

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  • Busso, Matias
  • Frisancho, Veronica

Abstract

This study examines the gendered effects of early and sustained exposure to high-performing peers on female educational trajectories. Exploiting random allocation to classrooms within middle schools, we measure the effect of male and female high performers on girls’ high school placement outcomes. We examine the effects that peers have on two distinct outcomes: academic performance and preferences for schools with more-selective admission standards. We focus on the effects of peers along the distribution of baseline academic performance. Exposure to high-performing peers of either sex reduces the degree to which high-achieving girls seek placement in more-selective schools. High-achieving boys have particularly strong, negative effects on high-performing girls’ admission scores and preferences for more-selective and more-academic schools. By contrast, high-achieving girls improve low-performing girls’ placement outcomes, but exclusively through a positive effect on exam scores.

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  • Busso, Matias & Frisancho, Veronica, 2021. "Good peers have asymmetric gendered effects on female educational outcomes: Experimental evidence from Mexico," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 727-747.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:189:y:2021:i:c:p:727-747
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2021.07.013
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    Cited by:

    1. Goulas, Sofoklis & Gunawardena, Bhagya N. & Megalokonomou, Rigissa & Zenou, Yves, 2024. "Gender Role Models in Education," IZA Discussion Papers 17271, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Cools, Angela & Fernández, Raquel & Patacchini, Eleonora, 2022. "The asymmetric gender effects of high flyers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Busso, Matías & Frisancho, Verónica, 2023. "Ability Grouping and Student Performance: Experimental Evidence from Middle Schools in Mexico," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12681, Inter-American Development Bank.
    4. Modena, Francesca & Rettore, Enrico & Tanzi, Giulia Martina, 2022. "Asymmetries in the gender effect of high-performing peers: Evidence from tertiary education," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer effects; Gender; High achievers; Secondary education; Mexico;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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