Negative Narratives

Last registered on February 20, 2025

View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Negative Narratives

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0015328

Initial registration date

February 13, 2025

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

February 20, 2025, 5:18 AM EST

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

Locations

Country

Italy

Region

Primary Investigator

Name

Andrea Martinangeli

Affiliation

Burgundy School of Business

Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name

Gianmarco Daniele

PI Affiliation

Università di Milano

Contact Investigator

PI Name

Federica Braccioli

PI Affiliation

University of Vienna

Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status

In development

Start date

2025-02-14

End date

2025-04-30

Keywords

Crime, Violence, & Conflict

Additional Keywords

JEL code(s)

Secondary IDs

Prior work

This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.

Abstract

We investigate the impact of information statistics and the accompanying narratives about state capacity building on individuals' perceptions and attitudes towards the institutions.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Braccioli, Federica, Gianmarco Daniele and Andrea Martinangeli. 2025. "Negative Narratives." AEA RCT Registry. February 20. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.15328-1.0

Sponsors & Partners

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

See analysis plan

Intervention (Hidden)

5 information treatments varying the amount of information about state capacity delivered within an online survey.

Intervention Start Date

2025-02-14

Intervention End Date

2025-04-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Institutional trust

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Institutional trust as measures by questions about how the individual trusts institutions

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

See analysis plan

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

See analysis plan

Experimental Design

We randomise information about state capacity using 5 different information treatments.
See attached pre-analysis document for full design information.

Experimental Design Details

We randomise information about state capacity using 5 different information treatments within a qualtrics survey.
No clusters, randomised at individual level.
Sample size 6000 units, 1200 units per treatment arm.

Follow-up questionnaire 30 days after completion with re-elicitation of institutional trust, over 3600 individuals.

See attached pre-analysis document for full design information.

Randomization Method

Computerised

Randomization Unit

Individual

Was the treatment clustered?

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

None

Sample size: planned number of observations

Main study: 6000 individuals Follow-up study: The follow-up study assumes a re-contact response rate of 60% (3600 individuals)

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

Main study: 1200
Follow-up: 720

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

Main study: We detect a minimum effect MDE=0.11 standard deviations over pairwise experimental condition comparisons of standardised outcomes, at power p=0.8 and alpha=0.05. Follow-up: We detect an MDE=0.14 standard deviations over pairwise experimental condition comparisons of standardised outcomes, at power p=0.8 and alpha=0.05.

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB