Examining Support for Smartphone and Social Media Policies: Evidence from a Survey Experiment

Last registered on March 12, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Examining Support for Smartphone and Social Media Policies: Evidence from a Survey Experiment
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0018072
Initial registration date
March 11, 2026

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
March 12, 2026, 4:49 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
Alessia Pulvirenti
Affiliation
DIW Berlin, Berlin School of Economics
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Mara Barschkett
PI Affiliation
University of Bonn, IZA and DIW Berlin
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PI Name
Teodora Boneva
PI Affiliation
University of Bonn
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PI Name
Iris Stornik
PI Affiliation
University of Bonn
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-03-12
End date
2028-03-13
Keywords
Behavior, Health
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We collect online survey data from the United States to study whether an information treatment embedded within a survey can causally affect individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions regarding policies related to smartphone and social media use.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Barschkett, Mara et al. 2026. "Examining Support for Smartphone and Social Media Policies: Evidence from a Survey Experiment." AEA RCT Registry. March 12. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.18072-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We study whether providing survey respondents with information about public support for smartphone and social media policies affects their beliefs, policy preferences, and behavioral intentions. Respondents are assigned to either a control group or to one of two information treatment groups.
Intervention Start Date
2026-03-12
Intervention End Date
2026-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
The primary outcome is an incentivized donation decision designed to elicit respondents’ support for public policies related to children’s and adolescents’ smartphone and social media use.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary outcomes include measures of respondents’ policy support, behavioral intentions related to policy advocacy, and beliefs about public opinion and the potential effects of relevant policies.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We conduct an online survey experiment with respondents in the United States recruited through Prolific. Eligible respondents are randomly assigned in equal proportion to one of three experimental conditions: a control group or one of two information treatment groups. Respondents in the treatment groups receive information about public support for policies related to children’s smartphone and social media use. Screening checks are administered before treatment assignment, and only respondents who pass the screening procedure are randomized.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization is implemented automatically by the survey software (Qualtrics) using its built-in randomization function. Respondents who pass the screening checks are assigned by the computer to one of three experimental conditions (control, Treatment 1, Treatment 2) with equal probability.
Randomization Unit
Individual-level randomization.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
6000
Sample size: planned number of observations
6000
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Approximately 6,000 respondents in total, with roughly 2,000 respondents assigned to each of the three experimental arms (control, Treatment 1, Treatment 2).
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
German Association for Experimental Economic Research e.V.
IRB Approval Date
2026-03-06
IRB Approval Number
Pz8x9hV5
Analysis Plan

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