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The political influence of peer groups: experimental evidence in the classroom

Author

Listed:
  • Camila F. S. Campos
  • Shaun Hargreaves Heap
  • Fernanda Leite Lopez de Leon

Abstract

People who belong to the same group often behave alike. Is this because people with similar preferences naturally associate with each other or because group dynamics cause individual preferences and/or the information that they have to converge? We address this question with a natural experiment. We find no evidence that peer political identification affects individual identification. But we do find that peer engagement affects political identification: a more politically engaged peer group encourages individual political affiliation to move from the extremes to the centre.

Suggested Citation

  • Camila F. S. Campos & Shaun Hargreaves Heap & Fernanda Leite Lopez de Leon, 2017. "The political influence of peer groups: experimental evidence in the classroom," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 69(4), pages 963-985.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxecpp:v:69:y:2017:i:4:p:963-985.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Marchingiglio, Riccardo, 2021. "Local institutions and public school spending under restricted suffrage: The case of post-unitary Italy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 1351-1373.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • Z19 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Other

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