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Societal preferences for minimum wage reform: a choice experiment

Last registered on November 15, 2023
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Societal preferences for minimum wage reform: a choice experiment
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0012013
Initial registration date
November 07, 2023

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
November 15, 2023, 12:47 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Eleanor Dickens
Affiliation
University of Oxford
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Romuald Meango
PI Affiliation
University of Oxford

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2023-11-07
End date
2023-12-20
Keywords
Labor
Additional Keywords
choice experiment, minimum wage
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study aims to explore different ways in which support for reform to the minimum wage changes based on a variety of trade-offs in the labor market and broader economy. By employing a choice experiment, we will investigate societal preferences for minimum wage reform and estimate the willingness to pay. Furthermore, this study will examine whether the willingness-to-pay changes based on a variety of trade-offs in the labor market and broader economy.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Dickens, Eleanor and Romuald Meango. 2023. "Societal preferences for minimum wage reform: a choice experiment." AEA RCT Registry. November 15. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.12013-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention is a randomized survey. Respondents are first asked questions about their views on politics, redistribution, and the labour market. The first group is asked questions on their views of how the minimum wage policy is set, and then asked to participate in the choice experiment. The second group is asked to participate in the choice experiment and then asked questions on their views of how the minimum wage policy is set. Finally, all respondents are asked demographic questions.
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2023-11-07
Intervention End Date
2023-12-20

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Reported valuation of hypothetical increases in the minimum wage and associated trade-offs in the economy. Results will be analyzed by group--whether WTP varies based on whether information block (information on policy-making and questions on their views of minimum wage policy) are asked before or after the choice experiment. Results will also be analyzed alongside self-assessed political views, attitude to redistribution, demographics, views of economy and labor market, and views on beneficiaries of minimum wage.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Each person will be randomized into two groups: information block before or after the choice experiment. The information block contains information on the independent body that advises the minimum wage rate in the U.K. In the same section, following the video, each respondent will be asked their opinions on how the minimum wage policy is and should be set.

Each person will also receive a random subset of questions related to their views on the labour market and broader economy.

The choice experiment is structured as follows: There are 5 attributes, each of which have between four and 16 levels. The respondents are shown two scenarios at a time that vary randomly in levels of severity of the same attribute, and asked to indicate a choice probability between choosing each option. They will be shown 13 examples of two scenarios (two of attribute one, two of attribute two, three of attribute three, two of attribute four, and four of attribute five). Two additional examples of the same scenario are shown, which serve as attention checks.

Finally, respondents are asked to answer question that asks their preference for a minimum wage policy change based on trade-offs for every attribute they have been shown, which vary randomly in levels of severity and redistributional group.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done within-survey by Qualtrics.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
1
Sample size: planned number of observations
820
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
410 per 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
University of Oxford, Economics Department’s Research Ethics Committee (DREC
IRB Approval Date
2023-10-03
IRB Approval Number
ECONCIA23-24-01
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