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Fight-pair comparison

Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The article's methodological framework is a within-pair comparison design: rather than comparing discipline outcomes across schools or students generally, it compares the punishments given to the two participants in the same fight, one Black or poor and one White or nonpoor. The authors state that "comparing the punishments given to Black and White (or poor and nonpoor) students who fight one another" addresses "a selection challenge that has kept prior studies from identifying discrimination in student discipline." Because both students in a pair faced the same incident, differences in punishment are attributed to differential treatment rather than differing behavior.

Accounts

  • Fight-pair comparison as an identification strategy for detecting discrimination in student discipline: The article's methodological framework is a within-pair comparison design: rather than comparing discipline outcomes across schools or students generally, it compares the punishments given to the two participants in the same fight, one Black or poor and one White or nonpoor. The authors state that "comparing the punishments given to Black and White (or poor and nonpoor) students who fight one another" addresses "a selection challenge that has kept prior studies from identifying discrimination in student discipline." Because both students in a pair faced the same incident, differences in punishment are attributed to differential treatment rather than differing behavior. (Nathan Barrett et al. (2021))

Claims

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Key Sources

  • Nathan Barrett, Andrew McEachin, Jonathan Mills, Jon Valant. (2021). Disparities and discrimination in student discipline by race and family income. Journal of Human Resources, 56(3), 711-748. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/disparities-and-discrimination-in-student-discipline-by-race-and-family-income/
Page metadata
Field Value
type research-method
id fight-pair-comparison
title Fight-pair comparison
description The article's methodological framework is a within-pair comparison design: rather than comparing discipline outcomes across schools or students generally, it compares the punishments given to the two participants in the same fight, one Black or poor and one White or nonpoor.
status review
moved_from theory/fight-pair-comparison-discipline-method
generated by process:sweep-kinds on 2026-10-10
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — nathan-barrett-2021

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