Communication and Competitiveness

Last registered on May 30, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Communication and Competitiveness
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013684
Initial registration date
May 25, 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 30, 2024, 3:40 AM 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
Sahar Sangi
Affiliation
University of Amsterdam
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Thomas Buser
PI Affiliation
University of Amsterdam
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PI Name
Huaiping Yuan
PI Affiliation
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-05-27
End date
2025-05-27
Keywords
Behavior, Gender, Lab
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
There is growing evidence that the willingness to compete plays a role in determining career choices and labor market outcomes. Most studies use individual choice behavior to measure competitiveness. However, in the work setting there are often opportunities to communicate and coordinate with potential competitors. In this proposed experiment we will introduce two different modes of communication that can be used to dissuade others from competing: (1) cheap talk and (2) a retaliation (destroy) option. We aim to investigate how the possibility of communication affects the coordination of competition choices of pairs of participants and how individuals with different personality traits react differently to the possibility of communication and an option to destroy an opponent’s earnings in the competition.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Buser, Thomas, Sahar Sangi and Huaiping Yuan. 2024. "Communication and Competitiveness." AEA RCT Registry. May 30. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13684-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2024-05-27
Intervention End Date
2025-05-27

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
1) Competition mis-coordination (share of pairs with 0 or 2 competition entries)
2) Personality traits and beliefs of participants who enter and opt out of competition.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
This experimental design aims to investigate the impact of communication and the possibility to destroy the opponent’s earnings on participants' willingness to enter a competition. The study consists of three distinct sections where participants will make decisions or perform tasks. To provide a detailed overview of our experimental design, we have uploaded a pre-analysis plan document.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization is done in the lab by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Experimental sessions
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
16 experimental sessions
Sample size: planned number of observations
320 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
80 students (in 4 experimental sessions) per treatment
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
The Economics and Business Ethics Committee of University of Amsterdam
IRB Approval Date
2023-09-21
IRB Approval Number
EB-4145
Analysis Plan

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