Social class signal on hiring decision

Last registered on November 15, 2024
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Social class signal on hiring decision
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0014761
Initial registration date
November 03, 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
November 15, 2024, 1:20 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Lai Wei
Affiliation
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Teng Ye
PI Affiliation
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2024-02-07
End date
2025-05-01
Keywords
Behavior, Labor
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
The children of upper social classes have historically enjoyed privileged access to higher education and enhanced earning potential. However, limited research exists on how explicit signals of candidates' social class background influence hiring decisions. This study aims to conduct a field experiment examining how social class signals conveyed by job candidates affect both interviewer evaluations and hiring intentions.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Wei, Lai and Teng Ye. 2024. "Social class signal on hiring decision." AEA RCT Registry. November 15. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.14761-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We manipulate the social class signals that job interview candidates send to the interviewers and ask interviewers to rate the intention to hire and evaluate the candidates.
Intervention (Hidden)
We manipulate the social class signals by explicit luxury consumptions.
In the treatment group, each candidate is offered a file bag with a luxury logo.
In the control group, each candidate is offered a plain file bag of comparable size and color, without any luxury component.
The candidates will carry the bags we offered to the interview room.
Intervention Start Date
2024-02-07
Intervention End Date
2025-05-01

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Intention to hire
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
performance evaluation, perceived work-related attitudes.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We manipulate the social class signals that job interview candidates send to the interviewers and ask interviewers to rate the intention to hire and evaluate the candidates. We also collect demographic information of both the interviewers and candidates.
Experimental Design Details
The field experiment was conducted during a business school's career center private mock interview event, which takes place every semester. The event is relatively small, with approximately 15-40 interviews conducted per semester, requiring two to three semesters to gather sufficient data.
During the experiment, upon arrival, candidates complete a demographic survey.
Each candidate is then randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group prior to the experiment. Social class signals are manipulated by providing candidates in the control group with a plain file bag, while candidates in the treatment group receive a bag featuring a luxury logo.
Candidates carry their assigned bag into the interview room.
Each candidate participates in a 15-minute mock interview with an interviewer.
Afterward, the interviewer completes an evaluation survey regarding the candidate's performance, and the candidate fills out a self-reflection survey. Following the event, interviewers also complete a demographic survey.
Randomization Method
randomized assignment by algorithm
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
One to three clusters by experiment site.
Sample size: planned number of observations
40~ 200 pairs of interviewers and candidates.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
20-100 pairs per treatment or control
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
BOSTON COLLEGE Institutional Review Board Office for Research Protections
IRB Approval Date
2024-02-09
IRB Approval Number
23.055.01e
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