Choice of specialization: do peers matter?

Oleg Poldin, D. Valeeva and Maria Yudkevich

Applied Economics, 2015, vol. 47, issue 44, 4728-4740

Abstract: Social influence is an important factor in learning and decision-making. We estimate peer influence on student choice of specialization using data on undergraduate students of a Russian university. Information about individual social ties has been gathered from a questionnaire survey. We show that specialization choice is significantly influenced by friends as well as by study partners. The strongest effect is produced by friends who are study partners and those who have similar academic achievements. Reciprocal friendship ties have a stronger influence on the choice than nonreciprocal ones. Also, the decision is affected by classmates with similar academic achievement. The results allow us to better understand the mechanisms of peer effects in the specialization choice.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2015.1034840

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