Sexual Activity & Productivity

Last registered on February 12, 2020

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Sexual Activity & Productivity
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0003309
Initial registration date
November 16, 2018

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 17, 2018, 10:07 PM EST

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

Last updated
February 12, 2020, 11:33 AM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Region

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
Universidad de San Andres

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Affiliation
University of Wisconsin - Madison & Universidad de San Andres

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2019-11-01
End date
2020-05-30
Secondary IDs
Abstract
We study the causal link between sexual activity and productivity. Our experimental approach induces arousal in subjects’ partners by exposing them to a video with explicit sexual content. Then, we use partners’ arousal as an instrument for subjects’ sexual activity to estimate (via an instrumental variables approach) the causal impact of sexual activity on individual productivity. We also explore the causal link between sexual activity and happiness.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Gibbons, M. Amelia and Martin Rossi. 2020. "Sexual Activity & Productivity." AEA RCT Registry. February 12. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.3309-2.3000000000000003
Former Citation
Gibbons, M. Amelia and Martin Rossi. 2020. "Sexual Activity & Productivity." AEA RCT Registry. February 12. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/3309/history/62609
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We examine the causal impact of sexual activity on subsequent individual productivity
Intervention Start Date
2020-02-01
Intervention End Date
2020-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Productivity. Measured as performance in an arithmetic task
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
The primary outcome will be obtained from an arithmetic task answered by experimental subjects

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Happiness
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Secondary outcomes come from a voluntary survey answered by the experimental subjects

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Randomized Controlled Trial: Treatment participants will be randomly selected from a list of eligible subjects. We will compare the treatment group outcomes to the control group outcomes, looking specifically at subjects’ individual productivity.
Experimental Design Details
For details, see attached proposal
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
Approximately 860 couples, depending on take-up. This includes 860 experimental subjects and 860 partners of the experimental subjects.
Sample size: planned number of observations
Approximately 860, depending on take-up. In anticipation of some attrition, we will have a sample of 1,000 couples. That is, we expect a response rate of 86%.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Treatment group: approximately 430 individuals (half of take-up)
Control group: approximately 430 individuals (half of take-up)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
For details, see attached proposal
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Education and Social/Behavioral Science IRB - University of Wisconsin - Madison
IRB Approval Date
2019-02-11
IRB Approval Number
2018-1178
Analysis Plan

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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