An experiment on rank feedback using high school students

Last registered on April 16, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
An experiment on rank feedback using high school students
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013369
Initial registration date
April 14, 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
April 16, 2024, 3:27 PM EDT

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

Locations

Country
China
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Hanlin Lou
Affiliation
University of Technology Sydney
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Hui Xu
PI Affiliation
Beijing Normal University

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-04-15
End date
2024-04-25
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
Relative performance feedback, rank feedback, group size
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
The effect of relative performance feedback, especially ordinal rank feedback, on performance has been broadly discussed in recent decades. However, there are few studies on the relationship between the impacts of providing relative performance feedback and the choice of comparison groups. We conjecture that splitting a large comparison group into multiple smalls can improve the motivational effects of providing rank feedback. We will conduct a field experiment in a high school to test whether giving rank feedback can motivate individuals and whether the motivational effects tend to be enhanced in small reference groups.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lou, Hanlin and Hui Xu. 2024. "An experiment on rank feedback using high school students." AEA RCT Registry. April 16. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13369-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The basic experimental design requires participants to do a two-stage task consisting of two tests. We randomise participants into one of three conditions:

Control group: No feedback
Participants will not receive any feedback about their performance in Stage1.

Treatment 1: Class rank feedback
We will inform participants of their rank in their classroom after the first test.

Treatment 2: Group rank feedback
We will inform participants of their rank in a small group after the first test.
Intervention Start Date
2024-04-22
Intervention End Date
2024-04-23

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Participants' scores in each test.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We will ask participants to do a two­-stage task. At each stage, participants will be given a list of 18 Chinese poetry and asked to remember them. They will be informed of there will be a quiz to test their poetry memory.

We will randomly divide participants in three groups. For the participants in the control group, no feedback will be provided. For the participants in the class-rank treatment group, they will be informed of their rank in their classroom. We can interpret the class rank as a measurement of one's relative position in a large comparison group. For the participants in the group-rank treatment group, they will be informed of their rank in a group including those who sit in the same column as them. In this case, participants will learn their relative position in a small comparison group. Then, they will be given another poetry list and test.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization by a computer programme.
Randomization Unit
Classroom level
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
42 classes
Sample size: planned number of observations
At least 2000 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
14 classes control, 14 classes class-rank feedback, 14 group-rank feedback.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

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