Second-Order Beliefs and Peer Pressure

Last registered on January 06, 2022
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Second-Order Beliefs and Peer Pressure
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0008759
Initial registration date
January 04, 2022

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
January 06, 2022, 5:45 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Dev Patel
Affiliation
Harvard University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
William Murdock
PI Affiliation
Harvard University
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2022-01-10
End date
2022-11-30
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We study pluralistic ignorance about peer pressure towards student effort amid U.S. middle school students. We randomly correct students' beliefs about how increases in studying impacts the willingness of their peers to form friendships.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Murdock, William and Dev Patel. 2022. "Second-Order Beliefs and Peer Pressure." AEA RCT Registry. January 06. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.8759-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We provide students information about how 30-randomly selected respondents from the same survey responded to a question about their willingness to be friends with someone who studies more.
Intervention Start Date
2022-01-10
Intervention End Date
2022-05-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
We will examine impacts on responses to the following survey questions:
For the rest of the school year, how many hours per week do you expect to spend on homework and studying outside of class?
Would you ever try to hide how much you study from your friends?
Imagine that your grades from your most recent report card will be revealed to the rest of your school unless you pay some money. For each of the following amounts, would you pay that amount to prevent your grades from being revealed to the rest of the school?
In general, in your school, do you think it is "cool to be smart''?
We will also look at potential impacts on grades from administrative data.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We assign treatment at the individual level, randomly providing information. Because the information we provide is collected and measured simultaneously in the same survey (which is being administered online), we do not randomize for the first 30 students to complete the survey, assigning them all to control. For the remaining respondents, we randomly assign treatment and control and calculate the information treatment based on a random subset of 30 respondents who have previously answered the survey.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization is done by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
N/A
Sample size: planned number of observations
The exact sample size will depend on school cooperation and take-up. We expect to have 865 students invited to the survey in the first round, and if a second round is possible, another roughly 865 in the second round.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
We expect roughly 415 treatment, the remaining in control by survey round.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Harvard University-Area Committee on the Use of Human Subjects
IRB Approval Date
2021-11-03
IRB Approval Number
IRB21-1338
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