How Self-Image Affects Perseverance

Last registered on November 21, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
How Self-Image Affects Perseverance
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017207
Initial registration date
November 17, 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
November 21, 2025, 8:01 AM EST

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

Locations

Country
Hong Kong
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Yingzhi Liang
Affiliation
University of Texas at Dallas
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Wei Huang
PI Affiliation
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-11-17
End date
2026-02-28
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
Self-Control, Self-Image, Perseverance, Present Bias
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study examines whether self-image concerns motivate greater effort. We conduct a field experiment in which participants are randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In the Perfect Memory condition, participants know in advance that they will be reminded of their actual task completion, preventing them from later using biased memory to protect their self-image. In the Imperfect Memory condition, participants receive no such reminder and can rely on naturally biased (overly optimistic) memories. This study investigates whether anticipated feedback can activate self-image concerns and improve task completion without external rewards or punishments.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Huang, Wei and Yingzhi Liang. 2025. "How Self-Image Affects Perseverance." AEA RCT Registry. November 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17207-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Students are asked to complete a voluntary review challenge consisting of daily practice questions before their final exam. Students are randomly assigned to receive different types of feedback about their completion.
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention (Hidden)
Students complete a seven-day daily challenge requiring three review questions per day (21 total questions) before the final exam. Students are randomly assigned to two treatments:

Perfect Memory Treatment: Students know beforehand they will receive a reminder about their actual completion after the course ends. They receive this reminder in the follow-up survey.
Imperfect Memory Treatment: Students do not know they will receive a reminder and do not receive one. They will also receive a follow-up survey.
Intervention Start Date
2025-11-17
Intervention End Date
2026-02-28

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Number of questions completed in the daily challenge (actual completion)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
The number of questions completed measures perseverance. A difference in average completion between treatment groups indicates that self-image concerns affect perseverance.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Recalled number of questions completed (measured in follow-up survey)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
The difference between recalled and actual completion measures memory bias. We expect to see students who receive the reminder have more accurate memory than students who do not receive the reminder.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
his is a two-arm randomized field experiment conducted in an undergraduate economics course. Students are randomly assigned to receive different types of information about their task completion. We measure both actual task completion and students' recall of their completion.
Experimental Design Details
This field experiment tests whether anticipating accurate feedback about performance can motivate greater task completion through self-image concerns. Students first complete a baseline survey asking about course attitudes, ideal completion goals, and predicted completion. They are then randomly assigned based on survey responses to:

Perfect Memory Treatment: Know they will receive an accurate reminder of completion
Imperfect Memory Treatment: Do not expect or receive a reminder

After the course ends, all students complete a follow-up survey. Perfect Memory students receive their completion report; Imperfect Memory students do not. Both groups report their recalled completion.
The theoretical mechanism: If students have self-image concerns and know their biased memory will be corrected, they will complete more tasks upfront to avoid the discomfort of confronting poor performance. Students who can rely on biased memory face less immediate pressure to perform.
Randomization Method
Randomization is conducted by computer after students complete the baseline survey. Students are stratified by their predicted completion and randomly assigned to treatment conditions using a computer program.
Randomization Unit
Participants are randomized at the individual level
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
N.A.
Sample size: planned number of observations
200 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Perfect Memory Treatment: 100 students
Imperfect Memory Treatment: 100 students
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Survey and Behavioural Research Ethics at Chinese University of Hong Kong
IRB Approval Date
2025-11-17
IRB Approval Number
SBRE‐25‐0275
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