PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Di Xu AU - Qing Zhang AU - Xuehan Zhou TI - The Impact of Low-Ability Peers on Cognitive and Noncognitive Outcomes AID - 10.3368/jhr.57.2.0718-9637R2 DP - 2022 Mar 01 TA - Journal of Human Resources PG - 555--596 VI - 57 IP - 2 4099 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/57/2/555.short 4100 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/57/2/555.full SO - J Hum Resour2022 Mar 01; 57 AB - This article presents new experimental estimates of the impact of low-ability peers on own outcomes using nationally representative data from China. We exploit the random assignment of students to junior high school classrooms and find that the proportion of low-ability peers, defined as having been retained during primary school (“repeaters”), has negative effects on nonrepeaters’ cognitive and noncognitive outcomes. An exploration of the mechanisms shows that a larger proportion of repeater peers is associated with reduced after-school study time. The negative effects are driven by male repeaters and are more pronounced among students with less strict parental monitoring at home.