The persistent effect of narratives: additional mechanism and long-term effects

Last registered on May 13, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
The persistent effect of narratives: additional mechanism and long-term effects
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013582
Initial registration date
May 09, 2024

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
May 13, 2024, 12:38 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Manwei Liu
Affiliation
Nanjing Audit University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Sili Zhang
PI Affiliation
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-05-09
End date
2024-05-24
Keywords
Behavior
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study is a follow-up of the project “The persistent effect of biased narratives: Evidence from an online experiment”, preregistered in the AEA RCT registry (AEARCTR-0005595). The current study adds five new treatments (between subjects), plus one auxiliary treatment, to the original study to explore additional mechanisms for why narratives have persistent effects and whether the persistent effects of narratives are long-lasting.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Liu, Manwei and Sili Zhang. 2024. "The persistent effect of narratives: additional mechanism and long-term effects." AEA RCT Registry. May 13. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13582-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
First, in Phase I, we vary whether subjects are exposed to one of the two narratives (pro-GMO or anti-GMO) first or both narratives (in random order). In Phase II, we vary whether subjects are immediately provided with the exact narratives from the other side that they did not see in Phase I, or they are provided with more arguments to counteract the influence of the Phase I narratives, which is scheduled two weeks after Phase I.
Intervention Start Date
2024-05-09
Intervention End Date
2024-05-24

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
(1) Self-reported attitude on whether the field practice takes technology too far or is appropriate usage of technology. (2) Allocation of a donation of 200 dollars between two organizations that favor two different sides.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Evaluation of second-stage information, i.e. narratives or arguments.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
In the two mechanism treatments, Pro.Nrt and Anti.Nrt, subjects are randomly exposed to one of the two narratives (pro-GMO or anti-GMO) in Phase I. In a third treatment, Both.Nrt as a benchmark for this new set of treatments, subjects are exposed to both narratives (in random order). In Phase II, subjects in Pro.Nrt and Anti.Nrt are provided with the exact narrative from the other side that they did not see in Phase I.

Two additional treatments, Pro.Long, Anti.Long, are identical to the Exogenous treatments in the original study except that the two phases are two weeks apart. They are added to test whether the persistent effects of narratives are long-lasting. In Phase I (the first session), subjects are randomly exposed to one of the two narratives (pro-GMO or anti-GMO). Phase II (the second session), where subjects are provided with more information to counteract the influence of the Phase I narratives, is scheduled two weeks after the first session.

We implement one auxiliary treatment, Both.Long, in which subjects' average donation functions as the target of estimation of Pro.Long and Anti.Long.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
By a computer embedded in the program. We employ stratified randomization based on subjects' self-reported prior attitude toward the issue.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
800 individuals.
Sample size: planned number of observations
800 individuals.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
150 per treatment group in the five main treatment groups and 50 in the auxiliary benchmark treatment group.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
TiSEM Institution Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2020-05-14
IRB Approval Number
IRB EXE 2020-009
Analysis Plan

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