| 讲座简介： | A large body of literature concentrates on peer effects and the skill development of children. However, only a few studies identify the causal effects of study teams on children’s development in terms of cognitive and non-cognitive skills. This study analyzes the dynamics of human capital induced by study teams in a field experiment.
In a rural county in China, we randomly select classes in primary schools and form small study teams within the treatment classes. We find that the act of forming study teams alone can increase students’ academic (cognitive) performance and personality (non-cognitive skills) in the dimensions of conscientiousness, extroversion, openness, and neuroticism, whereas agreeableness decreases. These changes in personality traits may reflect positive changes in the attitudes of students toward cooperation and competition. Our mechanism test suggests that improvement in non-cognitive skills and better in-class discipline are working mechanism to improve academic performance. |
