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Sibling spillover effects in school achievement

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  • Rabe, Birgitta
  • Nicoletti, Cheti

Abstract

We provide the first empirical evidence on direct sibling spillover effects in school achievement using English administrative data. Our identification strategy exploits the variation in school test scores across three subjects observed at age 11 and 16 and the variation in the composition of school mates between siblings. These two sources of variation have been separately used to identify school peer effects, but never in combination. By combining them we are able to identify a sibling spillover effect that is net of unobserved child, family and school characteristics shared by siblings. We find a modest spillover effect from the older sibling to the younger but not vice versa. This effect is considerably higher for siblings from deprived backgrounds, where sibling sharing of school knowledge might compensate for the lack of parental information.

Suggested Citation

  • Rabe, Birgitta & Nicoletti, Cheti, 2014. "Sibling spillover effects in school achievement," ISER Working Paper Series 2014-40, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:ese:iserwp:2014-40
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    2. Noemi Peter & Petter Lundborg & Dinand Webbink, 2015. "The Effect of Sibling's Gender on Earnings, Education and Family Formation," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 15-073/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Zhang, Huafeng & Holden, Stein T., 2024. "Sibling Spillover Effects and Educational Outcomes in Ghana and Niger," CLTS Working Papers 2/24, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Land Tenure Studies.
    4. Cheti Nicoletti & Kjell G. Salvanes & Emma Tominey, 2023. "Mothers Working during Preschool Years and Child Skills: Does Income Compensate?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(2), pages 389-429.
    5. Jones, Sam, 2016. "How does classroom composition affect learning outcomes in Ugandan primary schools?," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 66-78.
    6. Jacobs, Babs & van der Velden, Rolf, 2021. "Exploring the uncharted waters of educational mobility: The role of key skills," Research Memorandum 016, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    7. Gordon B. Dahl & Dan-Olof Rooth & Anders Stenberg, 2024. "Intergenerational and Sibling Spillovers in High School Majors," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 133-173, August.
    8. Adamecz, Anna & Jerrim, John & Pingault, Jean-Baptiste & Shure, Nikki, 2023. "Overconfident Boys: The Gender Gap in Mathematics Self-Assessment," IZA Discussion Papers 16180, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Jacob, Arun, 2016. "Gender Bias in Educational Attainment in India : The Role of Dowry Payments," MPRA Paper 76338, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Crudu, Federico & Neri, Laura & Tiezzi, Silvia, 2021. "Family ties and child obesity in Italy," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    11. Marchenko, Maria, 2019. "Endogenous Shocks in Social Networks: Exam Failures and Friends' Future Performance," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 292, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    12. Fang Guanfu & Chen Yu, 2021. "Sibling Rivalry: Evidence from China’s Compulsory Schooling Reform," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 611-656, April.
    13. Mari, Gabriele, 2023. "Less for more? Cuts to child benefits, family adjustments, and long-run child outcomes in larger families," SocArXiv e3n82, Center for Open Science.
    14. Gabriele Mari, 2024. "Less for more? Cuts to child benefits, family adjustments, and long-run child outcomes in larger families," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 1-27, June.
    15. Costanza Biavaschi & Corrado Giulietti & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2015. "Sibling Influence on the Human Capital of the Left-Behind," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(4), pages 403-438.
    16. Mariel Bedoya & Bruno Gonzaga & Alejandro Herrera Jiménez & Karen Espinoza, 2019. "Setting an example? Spillover effects of Peruvian Magnet Schools," Development Research Working Paper Series 01/2019, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    17. Maria Marchenko, 2019. "Dealing with Endogenous Shocks in Dynamic Friendship Network," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp291, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    18. Wennberg, Karl & Norgren, Axel, 2021. "Models of Peer Effects in Education," Working Papers 21/3, Stockholm School of Economics, Center for Educational Leadership and Excellence.
    19. Peter, Noemi & Lundborg, Petter & Mikkelsen, Sara & Webbink, Dinand, 2018. "The effect of a sibling’s gender on earnings and family formation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 61-78.
    20. Barber, Michael & Jones, Maggie E.C., 2021. "Inequalities in test scores between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in Canada," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    21. Ferreira, João R. & Sandholtz, Wayne Aaron, 2024. "Free Schooling Reverses Sibling Rivalry," IZA Discussion Papers 17228, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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