Evaluating Alternative Cash Transfer Designs in Kenya Using Behavioral Economics

Last registered on January 24, 2023
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Evaluating Alternative Cash Transfer Designs in Kenya Using Behavioral Economics
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0000541
Initial registration date
November 05, 2014

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 05, 2014, 2:57 AM EST

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

Last updated
January 24, 2023, 2:36 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
Kenya
Region
Siaya County

Primary Investigator

Name
Paul Niehaus
Affiliation
UC San Diego
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Anandi Mani
PI Affiliation
University of Warwick
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PI Name
Sendhil Mullainathan
PI Affiliation
Harvard University
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PI Name
Anuj Shah
PI Affiliation
University of Chicago
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Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2014-11-10
End date
2016-04-30
Keywords
Welfare
Additional Keywords
Cash transfer
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study aims to draw on insights from behavioral economics to conduct a rigorous impact evaluation of alternative unconditional cash transfer designs in Kenya. The study's implementing partner, GiveDirectly, which provides unconditional cash transfers to poor households in rural Kenya, will be experimentally varying several features of these transfers. One area of focus will be the timing of transfers, where GiveDirectly will vary the structure and schedule of transfer payments, as well as recipients' control over these timing aspects. A second area of focus will be the role of social information and norms, varying the amount and kind of information recipients receive about assets purchased by their peers. This study will exploit the variation across these different designs to quantify impacts on 1) household-level socio-economic outcomes (income, assets, etc.), 2) measures of well-being (food security, intra-household discord/conflict, various psychosocial scales), and 3) recipients' decision-making process and cognitive ability.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Mani, Anandi et al. 2023. "Evaluating Alternative Cash Transfer Designs in Kenya Using Behavioral Economics." AEA RCT Registry. January 24. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.541-2.3
Former Citation
Mani, Anandi et al. 2023. "Evaluating Alternative Cash Transfer Designs in Kenya Using Behavioral Economics." AEA RCT Registry. January 24. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/541/history/169914
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
All households in this study will receive an unconditional cash transfer totaling around $1000 USD from GiveDirectly. The structure and timing of these transfers, as well as the information provided to recipients, will be randomized at the household level.
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2014-11-10
Intervention End Date
2016-03-15

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Key outcome variables include 1) household-level socio-economic outcomes (income, assets, etc.), 2) measures of overall well-being (food security, intra-household discord/conflict, various psychosocial scales), and 3) recipients' decision-making process and cognitive ability.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The experimental design comprises two arms looking at 1) transfer structure and 2) information sharing.

On transfer structure, cash transfer recipients will be asked to choose the timing and tranching of payments that they would most prefer to receive their transfer. One randomly selected group of recipients will receive the transfer according to their preferred payment structure and schedule, while the other group will be assigned a random payment structure and schedule.

On information sharing, the study will take a list of uncommon investments made by past recipients and randomly vary, at the recipient-investment level, (a) whether the recipient is told about this investment, and (b) if so, the type of information each recipient receives.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done in an office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Randomization will occur at the household level (since transfers are distributed at the household level).
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
510 households
Sample size: planned number of observations
510 households
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Information treatment
255 households get popularity information on 2-3 randomly selected investments (out of 5)
255 households get cost-benefit information on 2-3 randomly selected investments (out of 5)

Tranching treatment
240 households received one tranche
258 households received two tranches

Timing treatment
Among households that received 1 tranche, 18:32:23:23:18:18:18:18:18:18:18:18 were assigned to receive this in months 1-12, respectively
Among households that received 2 tranches, 38:61:42:39:39:39 were assigned to receive their first tranche in months 1-6, respectively, with the second tranche to come 6 months after the first
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials

Documents

Document Name
Preferences survey - instrument
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
File
Preferences survey - instrument

MD5: a20c42a537e660c42525d092d9343089

SHA1: 0da57200a0d673985d0d003620fa3b1d361772b5

Uploaded At: August 26, 2022

Document Name
Preferences survey - visual aids
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
File
Preferences survey - visual aids

MD5: 129764397ea39b973069db3e27c39cca

SHA1: 811f9c27973eb86243675205b36b990ecaa85dec

Uploaded At: August 26, 2022

Document Name
Endline survey
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
File
Endline survey

MD5: 663dde15c3b7d556d03d4782b4db3ef2

SHA1: 707043d5d3e96b8b19ece121b91102ad318118b9

Uploaded At: September 12, 2017

IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Maseno University Ethics Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2014-10-15
IRB Approval Number
MSU/DRPC/MUERC/00105/14
IRB Name
Social and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board at the University of Chicago
IRB Approval Date
2014-10-28
IRB Approval Number
IRB14-1019-AM001
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

Description
Pre-analysis plan report
Citation
Mani, Anandi et al. 2023. "Evaluating Alternative Cash Transfer Designs in Kenya Using Behavioral Economics." AEA RCT Registry. January 24. 2023. "Registration Entry Title: Pre-analysis plan report." AEA RCT Registry. January 24 https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.541-2.3
File
PAP report - AEARCTR-0000541.pdf

MD5: 8d3f878ca91d4e4c9be77191700fe66d

SHA1: 1a4d271036527dbd749aadc650b4ea7e955665f0

Uploaded At: January 24, 2023