@TechReport{iza:izadps:dp11365,
            	author={Kiessling, Lukas and Radbruch, Jonas and Schaube, Sebastian},
            	title={The Impact of Self-Selection on Performance},
            	year={2018},
	month={Feb},
            	institution={Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)},
            	address={Bonn},
            	type={IZA Discussion Paper},
            	number={11365},
            	url={https://www.iza.org/publications/dp11365},
	abstract={In many natural environments, carefully chosen peers influence individual behavior. In this paper, we examine how self-selected peers affect performance in contrast to randomly assigned ones. We conduct a field experiment in physical education classes at secondary schools. Students participate in a running task twice: first, the students run alone, then with a peer. Before the second run,we elicit preferences for peers. We experimentally vary the matching in the second run and form pairs either randomly or based on elicited preferences. Self-selected peers improve individual performance by .14-.15 SD relative to randomly assigned peers. While self-selection leads to more social ties and lower performance differences within pairs, this altered peer composition does not explain performance improvements. Rather, we provide evidence that self-selection has a direct effect on performance and provide several markers that the social interaction has changed.},
	keywords={field experiment;self-selection;peer effects;social comparison;peer assignment},
            }