Peer Effects Research Articles

Randomization Tests for Peer Effects in Group Formation Experiments

Measuring the effect of peers on individuals' outcomes is a challenging problem, in part because individuals often select peers who are similar in both observable and unobservable ways. Group formation experiments avoid this problem by randomly assigning individuals to groups and observing their responses; for example, do first‐year students have better grades when they are randomly assigned roommates who have stronger academic backgrounds? In this paper, we propose randomization‐based permutation tests for group formation experiments, extending classical Fisher Randomization Tests to this setting. The proposed tests are justified by the randomization itself, require relatively few assumptions, and are exact in finite samples. This approach can also complement existing strategies, such as linear‐in‐means models, by using a regression coefficient as the test statistic. We apply the proposed tests to two recent group formation experiments.

Meta-Analysis: Factors Related with Premarital Sexual Behavior in Adolescents

Background: Premarital sexual behavior is a sexual activity carried out before marriage. Premarital sexual behavior is a health priority in adolescents because it causes unwanted pregnancies, abortions, STIs, HIV/AIDS and even death. Parents, peers, community environment, economic and cultural conditions influence premarital sexual behavior. This study aims to analyze the effect of peers, smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, exposure to pornography and rural areas on premarital sexual behavior in adolescents. Subjects and Method: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of study articles. Data obtained from databases including Google Schoolar, Pubmed and Science Direct. Article search was carried out by considering eligibility criteria with the PICO model. Population: adolescents. Intervention: high peer pressure, smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, exposure to pornography, and rural areas. Comparation: low peer pressure, non-smoking, no alcohol consumption, no exposure to pornography, and urban areas. Outcome: premarital sexual behavior. The articles were collected with keywords including "Peer Pressure" AND "Smoking" AND "Alcohol Compsumtion" AND "Pornography Exposure" AND "Rural" OR "Premarital Sexual Behavior" AND "Cross Sectional Study". Study articles were collected with PRISMA flow diagrams and analyzed using Review Manager 5.3 application. Results: The results of the meta-analysis indicated that adolescents were influenced by premarital sexual behavior in the presence of high peer pressure (aOR= 3.57; CI95%= 1.38 to 9.26; p<0.001), smoking behavior (aOR= 1.17; CI95%= 0.63 to 2.16; p<0.001), alcohol consumption (aOR=2.11; CI95%=1.34 to 3.33; p<0.001), and exposure to pornography (aOR= 2.43; CI95%= 1.44 to 4.09; p<0.001). Conclusion: Adolescent premarital sexual behavior increases with high peer pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exposure to pornography. Keywords: premarital sexual behavior, peer pressure, adolescent. Correspondence: Aktif Cahyaning Tyas. Master’s Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta, 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: aktifctyas@gmail.com. Mobile: +628231-4866643.

The Role Orientation of High-Level Athletes in the Construction of Campus Sports Culture Under the Theory of Peer Effect

The Role Orientation of High-Level Athletes in the Construction of Campus Sports Culture Under the Theory of Peer Effect

Estimating Peer Effects Among College Students: Evidence from a Field Experiment of One-to-One Pairings in Stem

Estimating Peer Effects Among College Students: Evidence from a Field Experiment of One-to-One Pairings in Stem

Peer Effects of Price Transparency

Peer Effects of Price Transparency

Estimating Peer Effects Among College Students: Evidence from a Field Experiment of One-to-One Pairings in Stem

Estimating Peer Effects Among College Students: Evidence from a Field Experiment of One-to-One Pairings in Stem

Ordered Discrete Choices with Heterogeneous Peer Effects

Ordered Discrete Choices with Heterogeneous Peer Effects

Keeping Up with the Jansens: Causal Peer Effects on Household Spending, Beliefs and Happiness

Keeping Up with the Jansens: Causal Peer Effects on Household Spending, Beliefs and Happiness

Study on Industry Peer Effect of Cash Dividend Policy of Listed Companies in China

Study on Industry Peer Effect of Cash Dividend Policy of Listed Companies in China

Keeping Up with the Jansens: Causal Peer Effects on Household Spending, Beliefs and Happiness

Keeping Up with the Jansens: Causal Peer Effects on Household Spending, Beliefs and Happiness

Identifying Peer Effects in Networks with Unobserved Effort and Isolated Students

Identifying Peer Effects in Networks with Unobserved Effort and Isolated Students

Can peers help sustain the positive effects of an early childhood mathematics intervention?

Our study assessed whether the peer environment in kindergarten and first grade affected student learning following an early mathematics intervention. We leveraged longitudinal data from a cluster-RCT to examine whether math achievement in kindergarten (n = 1,218) and first grade (n = 1,126) was affected by either the share of high-achieving classmates or the proportion of classroom peers who received a preschool math curriculum intervention. Analyses indicated that exposure to treated peers in first grade, but not kindergarten, was significantly associated with small gains in end-of-year achievement. Some analyses also suggested that average peer math achievement was positively related to children's kindergarten and first-grade achievement across conditions, though these results were less robust. We did not find consistent evidence to suggest that the proportion of treated peers coincided with better teaching practices. Taken together, these findings suggest that classroom peer effects may play only a limited role in sustaining early intervention effects.

Analysis of the Peer Effects in Trading with Connected Parties

Analysis of the Peer Effects in Trading with Connected Parties

Conceptualizing Peer Effects of Corporate Social Performance on Corporate Financial Performance

Purpose: Existing approaches to explaining the dynamics of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) through peer effect are incomplete as they do not conceptualize the complexity of the phenomenon. Building on the extant literature the paper aims to critically document parameters to understand the connectivity between peer effect-CSR and CSR-CFP.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based on a proposed conceptual framework identifying key parameters to understand the connectivity between peer effect-CSR and CSR-CFP. Relevant extant literature published during 1993-2017 in high-quality journals is synthesized. This review reveals different approaches and measurement techniques as the basis of inconclusive empirical evidence on the relationship between corporate social and financial performance.
 Findings: The paper implies that firms mimic their peers’ CSR strategies for different reasons such as reputation or learning in the hope of devising better strategies for growth and sustainable development. To state, there are different motives behind and channels through which peers influence CSR-CFP association.
 Implications/Originality/Value: The paper establishes a link between corporate social and financial performance through the lens of peer effect, especially in the context of developing economies. This paper has implications in enhancing overall understanding of social responsibility and financial performance connection by providing clarity on underlying themes, theoretical underpinnings and measurement approaches.

ICT promotes smallholder farmers’ perceived self-efficacy and adaptive action to climate change: Empirical research on China's economically developed rural areas

Understanding the impact of technological advancements, such as ICT, on the climate change adaptation actions of smallholder farmers is crucial for comprehending their adaptive strategies. This study utilizes data from a survey of 2230 smallholder farmer households in the developed rural region of the Yangtze River Delta in China to examine the factors influencing their perceived self-efficacy and actions to adapt to climate change. Using binary logit regression and OLS models, we identify the role that determinants of ICT use play in shaping smallholders' perceived self-efficacy and adaptive action. Our findings corroborate that perceived self-efficacy is a robust, positive predictor of adaptive action. The data indicate that the sole presence of adaptation leaders predominantly enhances perceived self-efficacy. In contrast, adaptive investments at the village level are primarily associated with an increase in adaptive actions. However, peer effects may diminish smallholder perceived self-efficacy and adaptive action. In addition, our study indicates that while ICT has not currently supplanted traditional social networks in influencing smallholder climate change adaptation perceived self-efficacy and adaptive action, we cannot dismiss the potential substitution effect. We also clarify why the peer effects of traditional networks have starkly contrasting impacts in developed and less-developed rural regions in China. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of incorporating objective influencing factors of smallholder adaptation actions and their effects on subjective perceived self-efficacy into future climate change adaptation plans and policies to foster adaptation actions.

Exploring Islamic Extracurricular Mediation: The Impact of Islamic Religious Education Learning and Peers on Spiritual Quotient

<p><em>This study aims to examine the effect of Islamic religious education learning and peers on students' spiritual Quotient and the mediating role of Islamic extracurriculars in the relationship between the two variables. The research method used is a quantitative approach with a survey method to examine the construction of students' spiritual Quotient variables. This study used a purposive sampling. The data collection technique was carried out through a questionnaire with four variables using a Likert scale. The results showed that Islamic religious education learning has a positive but insignificant influence on students' Spiritual Quotient. On the other hand, peers and Islamic extracurriculars have a positive and significant influence on spiritual Quotient. The implications of the study show that Islamic religious learning needs to be supported by extracurricular activities and religious programs in schools. Research recommendations include strengthening extracurricular programs, regular monitoring, and increasing the involvement of learners who do not participate in extracurricular activities. This is expected to improve the overall spiritual Quotient of all learners.</em></p>

Effects of Peer Teaching Method in Software Testing Course in Comparison with Traditional Teaching Method

This action research project incorporated a peer teaching model for creating an active learning environment for teaching the course “Software Verification, Validation, and Testing”. Topics covered in the course included an overview of software testing, software quality, types of software testing, test case design techniques, test documentation, software test frameworks; model-based testing, software verification, and validation. The research aimed to explore to what extent peer teaching would increase students’ learning motivation, and engagement, develop critical thinking skills, and their performance. The study was conducted for one semester and data were generated using questionnaires, test scores, and student activity records as instruments. The test score data is collected from 10 students taking the course. The data were analyzed using qualitative (textual data obtained from open-ended responses) and quantitative (numerical data from questionnaires, and test scores) methods. The result showed that the peer teaching approach has a positive effect on the attitudes of students toward software testing courses compared to lecture mode instruction.

Analysis of the Influence of Social Networks on Human Health

Health issues are of critical importance in the global context, as they directly affect the quality of human life, economic prosperity and social stability. Health is not only the concern of individuals and societies, but also the shared responsibility of the international community. Maintaining and improving global health is one of the priorities of the global community. This paper uses literature analysis to analyze obesity and overweight, smoking and smoking cessation, and mental health status respectively, and studies the impact of social network on human health. At the same time, based on the social network theory, the intervention principle and related strategies are proposed. The results show that: There are three different social processes that connect the underground network with weight and its effect on behavior. They are social contagion, a sense of belonging, and homophily. Studying the phenomenon of youth smoking can help us understand adult smoking. Social homophily, peer and parental effects are crucial when considering smoking behavior. Focusing on social support, social influence, self-esteem, and belongingness forms the understanding regarding mental health. In addition, to achieve better health conditions, interventions should be carried out through the most influential person in a certain social network.

Impact of Return Migration on the Employment Structure of Non-Migrants: Evidence from Rural China

Research on the impact of returnees on rural economic development in China is scarce with the increasing number of migrant workers returning to the countryside from Chinese cities. Data from China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS) of 2014 and 2016 are used in this paper, attempting to discuss this issue from the perspective of the impact of returnees on the employment of the non-migrant labor force based on occupational skill structure. It is found that the higher the proportion of returnees at the county level is, the more non-migrants will shift to non-agricultural areas after controlling for the exogenous factors of returning reason. Stayers are more likely to work in the medium-skilled secondary industry and construction and escape away from the low-skilled service sector. Off-farm job opportunity and peer effect may be two main channels of returnees to influence job structure of non-migrants. This paper provides empirical evidence on the contribution of Chinese returnees to non-agricultural economic development in rural areas.

Ignoring Measurement Errors in Social Networks

Abstract We consider peer effect estimation in social network models where some network links are incorrectly measured. We show that if the number or magnitude of mismeasured links does not grow too quickly with the sample size, then standard instrumental variables estimators that ignore these measurement errors remain consistent, and standard asymptotic inference methods remain valid. These results hold even when the link measurement errors are correlated with regressors or with structural errors in the model. Simulations and real data experiments confirm our results in finite samples. These findings imply that researchers can ignore small numbers of mismeasured links in networks.