Re-Examining the causal link between future tense and time preference: evidence from English monolinguals

Last registered on January 03, 2023
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Re-Examining the causal link between future tense and time preference: evidence from English monolinguals
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0010709
Initial registration date
December 30, 2022

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
January 03, 2023, 5:30 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
Australia
Region
Note: The experiment will be conducted on Prolific. Participants are not restricted to those located in the U.S./U.K./Australia.
Country
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Region
Note: The experiment will be conducted on Prolific. Participants are not restricted to those located in the U.S./U.K./Australia.
Country
United States of America
Region
Note: The experiment will be conducted on Prolific. Participants are not restricted to those located in the U.S./U.K./Australia.

Primary Investigator

Name
Tai-Sen He
Affiliation
Nanyang Technological University
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Josie I Chen
PI Affiliation
National Taiwan University
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2023-01-16
End date
2023-02-16
Keywords
Behavior
Additional Keywords
time preference, future tense, languages, linguistic-savings hypothesis, English monolinguals
JEL code(s)
C91, D15, Z13
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Since Chen (2013), a fast-growing body of literature has documented abundant supporting evidence for the linguistic-savings hypothesis (LSH). Despite this influx of research, direct causal evidence is limited. In the present study, we will re-examine the LSH within English, a strong future time reference language, using English monolingual subjects. In our experiment, participants will be randomly assigned to either "will" or "no will" condition and make a series of binary decisions in a standard time preference task, choosing between an immediate, smaller reward, versus a delayed larger reward. In the "will" condition, the delayed rewards will be described using future tense, whereas, in the "no will" condition, the delayed rewards will be described using present tense by omitting the future tense marking.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Chen, Josie I and Tai-Sen He. 2023. "Re-Examining the causal link between future tense and time preference: evidence from English monolinguals." AEA RCT Registry. January 03. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.10709-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Further study information will be released after data collection is concluded to avoid demand effects.
Intervention Start Date
2023-01-16
Intervention End Date
2023-02-16

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
The switch points in a standard time preference task using the multiple price list method
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Further study information will be released after data collection is concluded to avoid demand effects.
Experimental Design Details
The study will recruit approximately 600 English monolingual subjects on Prolific. Participants will be randomly assigned to either "will" or "no will" condition (i.e., 300 participants in each treatment arm). Participants will make a series of binary decisions in a standard time preference task, choosing between an immediate, smaller reward, versus a delayed larger reward. In the "will" condition, the delayed rewards will be described using future tense (i.e., X tokens will be paid in Y weeks). In the "no will" condition, the delayed rewards will be described using present tense by omitting the future tense marking (i.e, X tokens paid in Y weeks). After participants complete the time preference task, they will be asked to fill in an exit survey.
Randomization Method
Randomization is done by computer.
Randomization Unit
Randomization takes place at the individual level.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
600 individuals
Sample size: planned number of observations
600 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
300 individuals for each of the two treatment arms.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Research Ethics Committee of National Taiwan University
IRB Approval Date
2022-12-20
IRB Approval Number
201807ES034
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials