Gender peer effects on students’ academic achievement among Chinese adolescents

Abstract

While there is a consensus among scholars regarding the positive impact of peers’ cognitive abilities on students’ academic performance, there remains limited knowledge regarding potential gender-based variations in this association, especially in the context of developing countries. Through an analysis of data from the China Educational Panel Survey and a quasi-experimental approach, our study has established a clear correlation between classmates’ cognitive abilities and academic outcomes. Furthermore, we have identified gender-specific peer effects on students’ academic achievements. Irrespective of the proportion of female students in a class, female students consistently derive academic benefits from high-ability male peers, while deriving relatively fewer benefits from high-ability female peers. Conversely, male students benefit from high-ability female peers primarily when females constitute the majority in the classroom. In predominantly male classrooms, male students benefit from high-ability male peers. Additionally, our findings support the notion that a higher percentage of female students in a classroom enhances the overall academic performance of students, particularly in underperforming classes.