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Estimation of Peer Effects with Predicted Social Ties: Evidence from Two Universities in Brazil and Russia

Author

Listed:
  • Oleg V. Poldin

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

  • Tania P. Simoes

    (University of Campinas (Unicamp).)

  • Marcelo Knobel

    (University of Campinas (Unicamp).)

  • Maria M. Yudkevich

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics.)

Abstract

Social interactions with peers during learning have a significant impact on university students’ academic achievement. As social ties are voluntary, an empirical estimation of peer effects is exposed to a potential endogeneity problem. To overcome this issue, we propose to define the peer group of an individual as their predicted friends. The specific features of the learning environment in higher education institutions may affect dimensions along which friendship ties form. To test the presence of peer effects in different educational and cultural contexts, we use data on students studying in two universities located in two different countries, Brazil and Russia. We assume that friendship is affected by homophily in student attributes, such as having the same region of origin, the same gender, and sharing the same study group. In both institutions, we find positive externalities from having high-ability peers.

Suggested Citation

  • Oleg V. Poldin & Tania P. Simoes & Marcelo Knobel & Maria M. Yudkevich, 2015. "Estimation of Peer Effects with Predicted Social Ties: Evidence from Two Universities in Brazil and Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 30/EDU/2015, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:30edu2015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. de Souza, Laeticia R. & de Xavier Pinto, Cristine Campos & Queiroz, Bernardo L & de Oliveira e Silva, Dimitri, 2021. "Peer effects in college: how peers' performance can influence students' academic outcomes," SocArXiv 7n6ks, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    peer effects; academic achievement; social networks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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