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Girl Power? An Analysis Of Peer Effects Using Exogenous Changes In The Gender Make-Up Of The Peer Group

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Abstract

The effect of a child’s peers has long been regarded as an important factor in affecting their educational outcomes. I use exogenous changes in the proportion of girls within English school cohorts to estimate the causal effect of a more female peer group. I find significant negative effects of a more female peer group on boys’ outcomes in English, particularly at age 7. Much, but not all, of this deficit is caught up by age 11, but there is still a significant negative effect present. In maths and science, all pupils benefit from a more female peer group in primary schools.

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  • Proud, S., 2014. "Girl Power? An Analysis Of Peer Effects Using Exogenous Changes In The Gender Make-Up Of The Peer Group," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(3), pages 5-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eaa:eerese:v:14:y2014:i:3_1
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. 30. Selected readings on Women economics by the Euro-American Associations, 2001-2017
      by MCG Blogs de Economía in Euro-American Association: World Development on 2018-03-17 18:42:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Schneeweis, Nicole & Zweimüller, Martina, 2012. "Girls, girls, girls: Gender composition and female school choice," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 482-500.
    2. Wen Fan, 2011. "School tenure and student achievement," Working Papers 201124, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    3. Dewan, Prerna & Ray, Tridip & Roy Chaudhuri, Arka & Tater, Kirti, 2024. "Gender peer effects in high schools: Evidence from India," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 470-494.
    4. Proud, S., 2014. "Girl Power? An Analysis Of Peer Effects Using Exogenous Changes In The Gender Make-Up Of The Peer Group," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(3), pages 5-18.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; education; peer groups.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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