Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks

Palaash Bhargava, Daniel L. Chen, Matthias Sutter and Camille Terrier
Additional contact information
Palaash Bhargava: Columbia University
Daniel L. Chen: Toulouse School of Economics

No 2023_02, Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods from Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods

Abstract: Social networks are a key factor of success in life, but they are also strongly segmented on gender, ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics (Jackson, 2010). We present novel evidence on an understudied source of homophily: behavioral traits. Behavioral traits are important determinants of life outcomes. While recent work has focused on how these traits are influenced by the family environment, or how they can be affected by childhood interventions, little is known about how these traits are related to social networks. Based on unique data collected using incentivized experiments on more than 2,500 French high-school students, we find high levels of homophily across all ten behavioral traits that we study. Notably, the extent of homophily depends on similarities in demographic characteristics, in particular with respect to gender. Furthermore, the larger the number of behavioral traits that students share, the higher the overall homophily. Using network econometrics, we show that the observed homophily is not only an outcome of endogenous network formation, but is also a result of friends influencing each others’ behavioral traits. Importantly, the transmission of traits is larger when students share demographic characteristics, such as gender, have longer periods of friendship, or are friends with more popular individuals.

Keywords: Homophily; social networks; behavioral traits; peer effects; experiments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D01 D85 D90 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo, nep-exp, nep-net, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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https://www.coll.mpg.de/pdf_dat/2023_02online.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks (2023)
Working Paper: Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks (2023)
Working Paper: Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2023_02

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