Do role models increase student hope and effort? Evidence from India

Last registered on January 13, 2020

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Do role models increase student hope and effort? Evidence from India
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0004454
Initial registration date
July 16, 2019

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
July 16, 2019, 4:49 PM EDT

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

Last updated
January 13, 2020, 7:38 AM EST

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

Locations

Region

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
University of Glasgow

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2019-08-01
End date
2020-02-28
Secondary IDs
Abstract
This study examines the effect of role models on student hope and effort. A growing body of literature in behavioural economics indicates that hopefulness is associated with superior academic and athletic performance. Hope can be an instigator of higher goal-setting and effort. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) is conducted to examine the effect of a role-modelling intervention in primary school students aged 9-11 years in Jaipur, India. The experimental treatment comprises of three motivational films that aim to influence the mental models of the participants by exposing them to comparable and relatable protagonists that succeeded in achieving their aspirations through hope and hard work. Student effort is measured directly as an aggregate of two indicators: attendance at a remedial class and third party observations in a substitution class. Accompanying survey instruments and Snyder’s Children’s Hope Scale (CHS) track the psychological effects on hope. The primary objective of the research is to: (i) test if hope is malleable, and (ii) offer a cost-effective and scalable intervention that not only increases children's hope but also translates into higher effort and improved academic performance.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bhan, Prateek Chandra. 2020. "Do role models increase student hope and effort? Evidence from India." AEA RCT Registry. January 13. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.4454-1.1
Former Citation
Bhan, Prateek Chandra. 2020. "Do role models increase student hope and effort? Evidence from India." AEA RCT Registry. January 13. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/4454/history/60503
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The study has a treatment and placebo intervention:

Treatment group: Three short films are shown to the treatment group kids in the school's computer lab. Each student assigned to the treatment views all three films on a computer screen. The films are fictional and are produced in Jaipur. They document the lives of three relatable role-models that succeed in life because of hope.

Placebo group: The students assigned in this group watch an episode of 'malgudi days - Swami and his friends'. Based in a fictional town of South India, the television show is a famous entertainment program for kids.
Intervention Start Date
2019-08-26
Intervention End Date
2019-08-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Student hope and student effort.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
The indicators and instruments used for measuring the key outcome variables are explained in detail in the attached pre-analysis plan.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Student performance as measured by ASER-style tests and school examination results.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The study entails a simple individual level randomisation performed on Excel.
There are two treatment arms:
Treatment: watches a set of three motivational videos
Placebo: watches an episode of 'malgudi days'

Data is collected in four rounds from baseline to follow-up surveys, details to which are included in the pre-analysis plan.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Ransomisation is performed on Microsoft Excel.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
452 students
Sample size: planned number of observations
452 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Treatment arm = 226 students watch the set of three motivational videos
Placebo arm = 226 students watch an episode of an entertainment television show - 'malgudi days'
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Minimum detectable effect size = 2% increase in CHS
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
College of Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee
IRB Approval Date
2019-07-04
IRB Approval Number
400180272
Analysis Plan

Analysis Plan Documents

Pre-analysis Plan

MD5: 626550bff632e31ee166b27f027d41e5

SHA1: 44185beabfec45a19190f32a3047340edb472584

Uploaded At: January 13, 2020

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

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