Friendship networks and academic success
The impact of class size and gender composition
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21541682 |
|---|---|
| Authors | WINFRIED POHLMEIER (0000-0003-0707-7417, University of Konstanz), Livia Shkoza (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau), S Derya Uysal (0000-0001-9670-2290, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Empirical Economics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0377-7332 • E-ISSN: 1435-8921 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00181-026-02924-3 |
| OpenAlex | W7161691495 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
This study examines how heterogeneity in classroom characteristics affects the influence of peer interactions on educational outcomes. Using unique friendship network data from German upper secondary schools, we investigate the roles of class size and gender composition in shaping academic achievement. To capture these dynamics, we propose a multivariate instrumental variable (MVIV) approach that extends conventional homogeneous peer effects models and accounts for error heterogeneity across networks. Our findings demonstrate that neglecting classroom-specific heterogeneity leads to biased conclusions. By integrating these variations, we uncover new structural insights into how classroom composition influences peer effects and, in turn, student performance
Class size · Friendship · German · Homogeneous · Homophily · Instrumental variable · Peer effects · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Parental Involvement in Education · School Choice and Performance
Experimental Estimates of Education Production Functions
The Effects of Class Size on Student Achievement
Mechanisms and Impacts of Gender Peer Effects at School
A Generalized Spatial Two-Stage Least Squares Procedure for Estimating a Spatial Autoregressive Model with Autoregressive Disturbances
Peer Effects and Social Networks in Education
A Generalized Moments Estimator for the Autoregressive Parameter in a Spatial Model
Identification of peer effects through social networks
Using Maimonides' Rule to Estimate the Effect of Class Size on Scholastic Achievement
Identification of Endogenous Social Effects
Name Your Friends, but Only Five? The Importance of Censoring in Peer Effects Estimates Using Social Network Data
Estimation of Peer Effects in Endogenous Social Networks
The role of gender in team collaboration and performance
Linear Social Interactions Models
Estimating Class‐size Effects using Within‐school Variation in Subject‐specific Classes
Measuring Investment in Education
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |