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Informal Social Interactions, Academic Achievement and Behaviour: Evidence from Peers on the School Bus

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  • Matthew A. Lenard
  • Mikko Silliman

Abstract

We study the effects of informal social interactions on academic achievement and behaviour using idiosyncratic variation in peer groups stemming from changes in bus routes across elementary, middle, and high school. Our results suggest that student interactions outside the classroom—especially in adolescence—may be an important factor in the education production function for both academic and, particularly, behavioral skills. The effects of interactions on the bus are also related to neighborhood measures—suggesting that one way that interactions on the bus may matter is by amplifying interactions in the neighborhood.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew A. Lenard & Mikko Silliman, 2024. "Informal Social Interactions, Academic Achievement and Behaviour: Evidence from Peers on the School Bus," CESifo Working Paper Series 11115, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11115
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    social interactions; peer effects; education; behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models

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