Social norms and sexual activity in U.S. high schools

Citation

Castronova, Edward (2004). Social norms and sexual activity in U.S. high schools. Journal of Human Resources. vol. 39 (4) pp. 912-937

Abstract

This paper estimates a formal model of social norms with multiple equilibria using data from the Add-Health Survey of 20,000 U.S. high school students. The results suggest that there is considerable diversity in social norm equilibria, with some schools enforcing norms against sexual activity and others not doing so. The rate of sexual activity is about 5 percent lower in schools with norm-enforcing equilibria, suggesting that social norm effects are neither trivial nor decisive. Still, themost consistently significant factor affecting teen sexual activity is not the social environment or the school, but rather the family.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3559032

Keyword(s)

School

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Human Resources

Author(s)

Castronova, Edward

Year Published

2004

Volume Number

39

Issue Number

4

Pages

912-937

DOI

10.2307/3559032

Reference ID

353