Citation
Lin, Xu (2016). Gender and racial peer effects with endogenous network formation.
2016 Add Health Users Conference. Bethesda, MD.
Abstract
We apply a high order spatial autoregressive (SAR) model to simultaneously capture heterogeneous peer effects from multiple gender and racial groups, as well as endogenous network formation. In students' GPA and smoking behaviors, we find that within-gender endogenous effects are stronger than cross-gender effects. Females and whites are more sensitive to peer influences and more influential than other students. Intra-race spillover effects are stronger than inter-race effects for whites, but not for non-whites. For contextual effects, we show that peers' age, race and family background, but not gender composition, are relevant for both GPA and smoking behaviors. Homophily on observed and unobserved characteristics are important for friendship formation. However, the formation of friendship is not necessarily motivated by common interest in outcomes such as smoking. Our findings suggest that coeducational or desegregated schooling may help increase academic achievement, but not reduce smoking frequency.
URL
https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/docs/events/2016%20Add%20Health%20Users%20Conference%20Abstracts_2016_06_16.pdfReference Type
Conference proceeding
Book Title
2016 Add Health Users Conference
Author(s)
Lin, Xu
Year Published
2016
City of Publication
Bethesda, MD
Reference ID
6344
