Simplifying energy fact sheets to improve consumer understanding
Last registered on November 14, 2018
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information
General Information
Title
Simplifying energy fact sheets to improve consumer understanding
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0002598
Initial registration date
November 23, 2017
Last updated
November 14, 2018 12:22 AM EST
Location(s)
Country
Australia
Region
Primary Investigator
Name
Shea Houlihan
Affiliation
Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government
Contact Primary Investigator
Other Primary Investigator(s)
Additional Trial Information
Status
Completed
Start date
2017-11-13
End date
2017-11-21
Keywords
Environment & Energy, Governance
Additional Keywords
Government, communication, energy use
JEL code(s)
D12 (Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) will prepare advice concerning the design of energy price fact sheets. Fact sheets aim to help consumers compare energy plans. Behaviourally informed designs may also improve consumer comprehension, clarity, and ease of decision making with regard to household energy choices. This is a mixed methods study, constituted of a framed field experiment and qualitative focus groups.
External Link(s)
Registration Citation
Citation
Houlihan, Shea. 2018. "Simplifying energy fact sheets to improve consumer understanding." AEA RCT Registry. November 14. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/2598/history/37270
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details
Interventions
Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2017-11-13
Intervention End Date
2017-11-21
Primary Outcomes
Primary Outcomes (end points)
Proportion of respondents favouring each design; likelihood of respondents to change energy plans on the basis of information presented by a design; change in respondent confidence after exposure to a design
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Secondary Outcomes
Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Experimental Design
Experimental Design
Framed field experiment; focus groups
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Framed field experiment subjects will be randomized by computer algorithm
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No
Experiment Characteristics
Sample size: planned number of clusters
N/A
Sample size: planned number of observations
4,500 total respondents; 3 focus groups
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
750 per arm of framed field experiment; 5-7 individuals in each focus group
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARDS (IRBs)
IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan

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Post-Trial
Post Trial Information
Study Withdrawal
Intervention
Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
November 21, 2017, 12:00 AM +00:00
Is data collection complete?
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
November 21, 2017, 12:00 AM +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
Data Publication
Data Publication
Is public data available?
No
Program Files
Program Files
Reports and Papers
Preliminary Reports
Relevant Papers
Abstract
Citation
Url
https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/projects/simplifying-energy-fact-sheets-improve-consumer-understanding
Abstract
Citation
Url
https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/projects/simplifying-energy-fact-sheets-improve-consumer-understanding