Authentic social problems and the formation of civic agency

2026-10-09

2027-04-23

A seven-item social impact agency and orientation index, measured separately after each of three activities.

The seven-item social impact agency and orientation index consists of the following items. Each item uses a 0-10 scale, with higher scores indicating greater confidence, efficacy, responsibility, or intention to contribute.
1. I am confident that I can make a meaningful contribution to addressing a real social problem.
2. I am confident that I can use my knowledge and skills to help address real-world problems.
3. Working together, people like me can make a meaningful difference to important social problems.
4. Collective action can be effective in addressing difficult social problems.
5. I feel a personal responsibility to contribute to addressing important problems in society.
6. I believe I should use my knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in society.
7. If I had a concrete opportunity to contribute to solving a social problem, I would be likely to take it.

We construct the index by standardising each of items using its pooled baseline mean and standard deviation, then averaging the standardised items equally. Where survey responses are missing, we construct the primary index as follows:
• Include only those observations where five out of seven index items were completed,
• Average the available standardised items per the methodology described previously.

Secondary outcomes are:
• Individual self-efficacy
• Collective efficacy
• Civic responsibility
• Intention to contribute.
• Partner salience
• Peer contributions
• Value of additional group or individual effort
• Student actions in a gamified learning environment

We will follow the same method as for the primary outcomes. Individual self-efficacy uses primary outcome items 1–2, collective efficacy items 3–4, civic responsibility items 5–6, and intention to contribute item 7. Multi-item scores will average their standardised items equally. Each outcome will be measured after all three activities. Post-activity surveys also include:

• Four questions regarding partner salience:
1. The challenge felt like a real problem rather than an academic exercise.
2. I felt connected to the external partner and/or the people affected by the problem.
3. I felt that the work produced by my group could genuinely be useful to the external partner.
4. Knowing that a real external partner was involved affected how seriously I engaged with the challenge.

• Four questions regarding peer contributions:
1. The different knowledge and perspectives reflected in my groups feedback improved the quality of the revised answer
2. My own knowledge and skills made a distinctive contribution through my feedback.
3. Considering the different perspectives in my group’s feedback changed the way I thought about the problem.
4. Group members made complementary contributions by providing feedback on different aspects of the solution.

• Three questions regarding the value of contributions, or additional group or individual effort
1. What is the probability that the work produced by your group will make a meaningful contribution to the external partner?
2. Suppose your group spent one additional hour improving its solution. What is the probability that this additional work would meaningfully improve the value of the solution for the partner?
3. What is the probability that an additional contribution made specifically by you would meaningfully improve your group's final solution?

We will also record additional behavioural outcomes in the form of student actions in a gamified learning environment. This gamified experience occurs following treatment. We will collect individual decisions by round, payoffs, and the information available at each decision.

Nothing to report prior to the experiment.

Not available

Randomization will be carried out by computer.

Each student will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group.

No

Not applicable: individual student randomisation.

Approximately 481 students in Term 3 2026, with one baseline survey and three post-activity surveys; approximately 350 students in Summer Term 2027, with one baseline survey and three post-activity surveys; and approximately 1,300 students in Term 1 2027, with one baseline survey and three post-activity surveys.

Approximately 240 students in Term 3 2026, approximately 175 students on Summer Term 2027, and approximately 650 students in Term 1 2027.