Types of Class Cadre Positions and Student Popularity: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Eligible students will be randomly assigned to serve as a specific type of class cadre—including class monitor, committee member, or course representative—or to a control group. Students in the treatment group will perform the regular duties associated with their assigned position, which may include classroom management, activity organization, or subject-related assistance depending on the role type. Control group students will not serve in any class cadre position during the study period. The intervention reflects standard cadre appointment practices in participating schools and does not involve additional training or modifications to normal duties.

2026-09-01

2027-01-01

The primary outcome is student popularity among peers, measured across multiple dimensions. These include sociometric popularity; political popularity and perceived popularity. These distinct dimensions of popularity are selected because class cadre positions may affect different aspects of peer standing in different ways. Popularity data will be collected through questionnaires , and standardized within each classroom to facilitate comparison across classes.

Secondary outcomes include a set of mechanism variables that capture the potential pathways through which class cadre positions influence popularity. These include positive mechanisms such as mere exposure, peer selection effects, social interaction, and non-cognitive skill development. They also include negative mechanisms such as perceptions of coercive power, peer envy, social distance between cadres and classmates, and stigmatization as a ''teacher's pet''. These mechanisms will be measured through questionnaires.

This study uses a paired randomized controlled trial design to estimate the causal effects of different class cadre positions on student popularity. Within each participating classroom, for each cadre type, two eligible students who are suitable for the position and comparable in baseline characteristics are identified and formed into a matched pair. One student from each pair is randomly assigned to the treatment group (serving in the cadre position) and the other to the control group. The analysis will compare outcome changes between treatment and control students using paired comparisons and regression methods.

Not available

For each pair of eligible students, one student is randomly selected to serve in the assigned cadre position (treatment), while the other is assigned to the control condition. The randomization is blocked by classroom and cadre type to ensure balanced assignment across different class environments and role categories. The research team conducts the random draw to minimize potential selection bias, and assignment results are communicated to teachers for implementation.

Individual student. Randomization will be blocked by classroom.

No

5 schools, 2 primary school, 2 middle school, 1 hi

10,000 pupils

Approximately one-half of eligible students are assigned to each group. Within each classroom and cadre type, group sizes are equal by paired design.