Heterogeneous peer effects by gender, task, and monetary incentive: Evidence from speed skating

Using data from international speed skating events in the 2012–13 through 2018–19 seasons, I investigate heterogeneous peer effects by gender, task, and monetary incentive. While I do not detect peer effects among men, I find evidence for such effects in some race distances among women. In the women's sprint races of 500 and 1000 meters, a 10% improvement in a peer's personal best prior to this event makes one's time faster by 0.30–0.38%, and a 10% improvement in a peer's time makes one's time faster by 0.93–1.02%. However, in 1000‐meter races for women, peer effects decrease sharply in events without monetary prizes. These results imply that monetary incentives are more effective than peer effects to improve one's performance in a middle‐ or long‐term task that requires patience. This article indicates that the effectiveness of peer effects depends on task characteristics and monetary incentives.