Classrooms are dynamic environments where students not only learn from teachers but also influence one another’s academic and personal development. While much research has focused on the benefits of high-achieving peers, a new IZA discussion paper by Sofoklis Goulas, Silvia Griselda, Rigissa Megalokonomou, and Yves Zenou examines the opposite end of the spectrum: the impact of disruptive classmates. It investigates how disruptive peers shape the academic outcomes and long-term educational choices of other students in the classroom.
The analysis draws on data from high schools in Greece, where students are randomly assigned to classrooms based on the alphabetical order of their surnames at the start of high school. This randomization creates a natural experiment, allowing the causal effects of peer disruptiveness to be isolated from factors like self-selection or other unobserved variables. Disruptiveness is quantified by suspension hours accumulated in grade 9 (the final year of elementary school), enabling the study to measure how exposure to varying levels of peer disruptiveness impacts academic performance and long-term decisions.
Lower scores, grade repetition, and delayed graduation
The findings reveal significant and far-reaching effects. Students in classrooms with more disruptive peers experience lower academic achievement, including declines in test scores, increased likelihood of grade repetition, and a reduced probability of on-time high school graduation. These academic challenges highlight how disruptive classroom environments negatively affect all students, not just those directly engaging in disruptive behaviors.
The influence of disruptive peers extends beyond high school, shaping students’ higher education and career trajectories. Exposure to disruptive classrooms reduces the likelihood of pursuing competitive academic specializations or enrolling in selective postsecondary programs, such as STEM fields or other rigorous disciplines. These findings indicate that the adverse effects of classroom disruptiveness are not short-lived but persist, influencing students’ long-term educational and career outcomes.
Who suffers the most from classroom disruptiveness?
The study also identifies groups that are particularly vulnerable to these effects. Students from low-income areas, those in larger classrooms, and those with fewer female peers face amplified negative impacts from disruptive classmates. These compounding disadvantages underscore the inequities in educational environments where disruptiveness is prevalent, making it harder for certain groups to succeed.
To explore the mechanisms behind these effects, a lab-in-the-field experiment was conducted in high schools in Greece. Students were randomly exposed to scenarios with varying levels of peer disruptiveness, from one disruptive classmate to a third of the classroom. Participants rated the perceived or expected impact of disruptiveness on non-cognitive outcomes. The experiment found that higher levels of peer disruptiveness significantly reduced students’ motivation, study effort, college aspirations, and interest in science-related studies and careers. Students seated closer to disruptive peers experienced particularly pronounced negative effects, highlighting the localized nature of peer dynamics within classrooms.
This study underscores the profound impact of classroom environments and peer behaviors on students’ academic and career trajectories. It emphasizes the importance of addressing disruptiveness in educational settings, particularly for vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected. By fostering supportive and focused learning environments, educators and policymakers can mitigate the long-term consequences of peer disruptiveness, ensuring equitable opportunities for all students to succeed.