Performance Effects of Noisy Relative Performance Information and Immersion Game Elements

Last registered on January 08, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Performance Effects of Noisy Relative Performance Information and Immersion Game Elements
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0016866
Initial registration date
October 10, 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
October 13, 2025, 11:01 AM EDT

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

Last updated
January 08, 2026, 7:01 AM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

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Primary Investigator

Name
Andreas Oesinghaus
Affiliation
University of St.Gallen
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Dennis Fehrenbacher
PI Affiliation
University of St. Gallen
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-01-01
End date
2026-03-31
Keywords
Behavior, Firms & Productivity, Lab, Labor
Additional Keywords
Gamification, Relative Performance Information, Noise, Management Control
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study investigates the effect of immersion game elements and noisy relative performance information on employee performance using a 2x2 experimental design. Individuals in an online experiment are randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: 1) immersion only, 2) noise only 3) immersion and noise, 4) control. We formulate the hypothesis: The effect of immersion game elements on performance is stronger when relative performance information is noisy (as compared to not noisy).
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Fehrenbacher, Dennis and Andreas Oesinghaus. 2026. "Performance Effects of Noisy Relative Performance Information and Immersion Game Elements." AEA RCT Registry. January 08. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.16866-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We randomly assign participants to four experimental conditions: 1) immersion only, 2) noise only 3) immersion and noise, 4) control.
Intervention Start Date
2026-01-01
Intervention End Date
2026-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Performance
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Performance = the number of letters the participants decode

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Identification with the avatar, enjoyment, perceived effort, group identity, demographics
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Our experiment uses a 2x2 between-subjects design.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Each participant is randomly assigned to one of four conditions at the beginning of the session.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
200 participants (no clusters)
Sample size: planned number of observations
200 participants
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
50
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Ethics Committee HSG
IRB Approval Date
2025-01-15
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan