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ERIC Number: ED671272
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 37
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Do Peers Affect Undergraduates' Decisions to Switch Majors? EdWorkingPaper No. 20-246
Shi Pu; Yu Yan; Liang Zhang
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
This study used college dormitory room and social group assignment data to investigate the peer effect on the probability of college students switching their major fields of study. The results revealed strong evidence of peer effects on students' decisions to switch majors. In particular, the number of a student's peers who have the same major significantly reduces the student's likelihood of switching majors; however, when a same-major peer switches majors, it significantly increases a student's probability of switching majors. This study also found that peers' majors affected students' choice of destination majors. Students in the same peer group are more likely to choose the same destination majors, compared to non-peers. Finally, we found that in general peer effects at the dormitory room level, both in choice and persistence of major, were stronger than were peer effects at the social group level.
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Related Records: EJ1317210
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A