The effect of meta-beliefs on effort, performance and wellbeing: Experimental evidence from schoolchildren in rural Malawi

Last registered on December 22, 2022
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
The effect of meta-beliefs on effort, performance and wellbeing: Experimental evidence from schoolchildren in rural Malawi
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0006963
Initial registration date
December 21, 2020

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
December 21, 2020, 11:38 AM EST

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

Last updated
December 22, 2022, 1:53 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
Malawi
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Ashley Pople
Affiliation
University of Oxford
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
James Walsh
PI Affiliation
Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Sonja Vogt
PI Affiliation
Department of Social Science and Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern; Nuffield College, University of Oxford
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Salman Asim
PI Affiliation
Education Global Practice, World Bank
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Thokozani Chikuni
PI Affiliation
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2021-02-01
End date
2022-12-21
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
Effort, beliefs
JEL code(s)
C91, D91, I25
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Beliefs about the nature of ability and self-efficacy shape the decision to exert effort and performance. We disentangle the effects of beliefs on academic performance in a lab-in-the-field experiment in primary schools in Malawi.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Asim, Salman et al. 2022. "The effect of meta-beliefs on effort, performance and wellbeing: Experimental evidence from schoolchildren in rural Malawi." AEA RCT Registry. December 22. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.6963-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We inculcate beliefs about ability and personal efficacy using light-touch interventions and disentangle their effects on effort and performance through a lab-in-the-field experiment.
Intervention Start Date
2021-03-01
Intervention End Date
2021-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our primary outcomes of interest are effort, performance and wellbeing.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Lab-in-the-field experiment
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Individual-level randomisation conducted in person using a deck of cards.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
No clusters
Sample size: planned number of observations
1240 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
310 students per treatment arm; 4 treatment arms in total
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
CUREC, University of Oxford
IRB Approval Date
2020-11-03
IRB Approval Number
R68819/RE001
IRB Name
National Committee on Research in the Social sciences and Humanities, National Commission for Science and Technology, Malawi
IRB Approval Date
2020-06-18
IRB Approval Number
NCST/RTT/2/6
Analysis Plan

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