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Field
Experimental Design (Public)
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Before
We will conduct an experiment with university students to investigate how strategic decisions are affected by information about the opponent. Subjects will play a series of 22 guessing tasks where they will have to guess a number as close as possible to an anonymous opponent’s guess times a multiplier. The parameters of the game and the opponent will change from task to task.
In 6 out of the 22 tasks (Control), we will reveal no information about the opponent.
In the remaining 16 tasks (Treated), we will reveal key characteristics of the opponent: gender (MALE/FEMALE), field of study (STEM/NON-STEM subject), and Grade Point Average (TOP GRADE/LOW GRADE). Combining these traits produces 8 opponent profiles. We will have two treatment arms and use each profile twice (once per treatment arm). In the first treatment arm, we will only reveal the traits listed above (subjects will read the information on their screens). In the second treatment arm, we will reveal the traits listed above and, in addition, we will show a video of the opponent sharing some "fun facts" about himself/herself (e.g., favorite food, favorite activity, etc.) The combination of 8 profiles and two treatment arms results in 16 treatments. Each treatment will be randomly assigned to one of the 16 treated tasks and the order of these tasks will differ between subjects. Conversely, the same four control tasks will be the first ones to be played by all subjects, and the remaining two control tasks will be the last ones to be played by all subjects (after all the treated tasks have been completed).
Subjects will also play a dictator game with two randomly chosen opponents over the course of the experiment.
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After
We will conduct an experiment with university students to investigate how strategic decisions are affected by information about the opponent. Subjects will play a series of 22 guessing tasks where they will have to guess a number as close as possible to an anonymous opponent’s guess times a multiplier. The parameters of the game and the opponent will change from task to task.
In 6 out of the 22 tasks (Control), we will reveal no information about the opponent.
In the remaining 16 tasks (Treated), we will reveal key characteristics of the opponent: gender (MALE/FEMALE), field of study (STEM/NON-STEM subject), and Grade Point Average (TOP GRADE/LOW GRADE). Combining these traits produces 8 opponent profiles. We will have two treatment arms and use each profile twice (once per treatment arm). In the first treatment arm (“INFO ONLY”), we will only reveal the traits listed above (subjects will read the information on their screens). In the second treatment arm (“INFO + VIDEO”), we will reveal the traits listed above and, in addition, we will show a video of the opponent sharing some "fun facts" about himself/herself (e.g., favorite food, favorite activity, etc.) The combination of 8 profiles and two treatment arms results in 16 treatments. Each treatment will be randomly assigned to one of the 16 treated tasks and the order of these tasks will differ between subjects. Conversely, the same four control tasks will be the first ones to be played by all subjects, and the remaining two control tasks will be the last ones to be played by all subjects (after all the treated tasks have been completed).
For 60 subjects out of 200, in the second treatment arm, we will only show the video and we will not reveal the opponent’s characteristics (“VIDEO ONLY”).
Subjects will also play a dictator game with two randomly chosen opponents over the course of the experiment.
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Field
Randomization Unit
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Before
Guessing task. Each individual will play 22 guessing tasks. We will randomize the treatments across tasks. Each individual will receive all the treatments, but the order will differ between individuals.
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After
Guessing task. Each individual will play 22 guessing tasks. We will randomize the treatments across tasks within an individual and the order of the tasks will differ between individuals. For 140 individuals, the videos will be accompanied by information about the opponent (INFO + VIDEO). For 60 individuals, the videos will not be accompanied by information about the opponent (VIDEO ONLY).
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Field
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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Before
Control: 840 (6 guessing tasks x 140 individuals);
Treatment 1 - 16: 140 (1 guessing task x 140 individuals) per treatment.
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After
Control: 1,200 (6 guessing tasks x 200 individuals);
Treatment 1 - 16 with INFO ONLY and INFO + VIDEO: 140 (1 guessing task x 140 individuals) per treatment;
Treatment 1 - 16 with INFO ONLY and VIDEO ONLY: 60 (1 guessing task x 60 individuals) per treatment.
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