Achievement in student peer networks: A study of the selection process, peer effects and student centrality

Abstract

Isolating the homophily effect from the socialization process is crucial in understanding the links between student achievement and peer performance. Then, the combined effects on student achievement of peer performance and of student centrality within a network have been scarcely studied. While friendship links have been addressed, researches rarely investigated instrumental ties. In this paper, 120 college students were asked about their friends and about their advisors. Results show a selection effect (i.e., students reassemble with friends sharing same levels of performance), and a socialization process (i.e., peer performance is significantly associated with later student achievement). While the centrality univariate effects are significant for student performance, only being a prestigious friend remains important when peer performance is taken into account.