Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Self-selection of peers and performance
Author-Name: Lukas Kiessling
Author-Email: lkiessling@coll.mpg.de
Author-Name: Jonas Radbruch
Author-Email: j.radbruch@uni-bonn.de
Author-Name: Sebastian Schaube
Author-Email: sebastian.schaube@uni-bonn.de

Classification-JEL: C93, D01, I20, J24, L23 
Keywords: Framed field experiment, Peer effects, Self-selection, Peer assignment rules

Abstract: In many natural environments, carefully chosen peers influence individual behavior. 
Using a framed field experiment at secondary schools, we examine how self-selected peers affect 
performance in contrast to randomly assigned ones. We find that self-selection improves 
performance by approximately 15% of a standard deviation relative to randomly assigned peers. 
Our results document peer effects in multiple characteristics and show that self-selection changes 
these characteristics. However, a decomposition reveals that variations in the peer composition 
contribute only little to the estimated average treatment effects. Rather, we find that 
self-selection has a direct effect on performance.

Note: 
Length: 76
Creation-Date: 2019-08
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp121
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2019_121v2