PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Simone Balestra
AU  - Aurélien Sallin
AU  - Stefan C. Wolter
TI  - High-Ability Influencers? The Heterogeneous Effects of Gifted Classmates
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.58.4.0920-11170R1
DP  - 2021 Feb 10
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 0920-11170R1
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/02/03/jhr.58.4.0920-11170R1.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/02/03/jhr.58.4.0920-11170R1.full
AB  - We study the causal impact of intellectually gifted students on their nongifted classmates’ school achievement, enrollment in post-compulsory education, and occupational choices. Using student-level administrative and psychological data, we find a positive effect of exposure to gifted students on peers’ school achievement in both math and language. This impact is heterogeneous: larger effects are observed among male students and high achievers; female students benefit primarily from female gifted students; effects are driven by gifted students not diagnosed with emotional or behavioral disorders. Exposure to gifted students increases the likelihood of choosing a selective academic track and occupations in STEM fields.