London - Children who make lots of friends at school go on to earn higher salaries later in life, according to a study highlighting the long-term benefits of being sociable.
People who reported having a high number of close friends in secondary school later enjoyed 10 per cent higher earnings than their peers, the research found - and the effect was even more pronounced among those who were "at the heart of things" when they were young.
The findings, presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference recently, suggest that after-school clubs, trips and other activities which allow pupils to interact and socialise with one another carry much greater benefits than previously thought.
"More attention should be devoted during childhood and adolescence to the development of social skills," the researchers wrote.
The results suggest that young people who are less well off have a better chance of escaping poverty if they develop good social skills, said authors Lucia Barbone and Peter Dolton from the University of Sussex.
The Independent