Intervention (Hidden)
Respondents will answer our survey questions and participate in the survey experiment via an online platform. For the purpose of the experiment, respondents will be randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups (control group and treatment group). Randomization in the adolescent and parent sample will be independent from each other.
[Information provision]: Parents and adolescents in the treatment group will receive the following information:
“According to calculations of a study, lifetime income, i.e. a person's earned income calculated over his or her entire working life, is reduced by 10 percent on average if a person attends school for one year less and thus learns fewer skills at school.
For a person who earns 2,100 Euro (net) per month, which is roughly the average income in Germany, this would correspond to a lower income of around 210 Euro per month.”
The information is based on calculations from Piopiunik, Kugler and Woessmann (2017) and Hanushek, Schwerdt, Wiederhold and Woessmann (2015) as well as Statista on the average monthly income in Germany.
[Outcome questions]: After information provision, members of the treatment group (parents and adolescents) will be asked about (i) how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the future income of their children or themselves, respectively, (ii) intended participation in a tutoring program for their child or themselves, respectively, (iii) information acquisition about tutoring programs in Germany as well as (iv) their willingness-to-pay for one tutoring session.
Members of the control group answer the same outcome questions without receiving the information.
References:
- Piopiunik, M., Kugler, F., & Wößmann, L. (2017). Einkommenserträge von Bildungsabschlüssen im Lebensverlauf: Aktuelle Berechnungen für Deutschland. ifo Schnelldienst, 70(07), 19-30.
- Hanushek, E.A., G. Schwerdt, S. Wiederhold und L. Wößmann (2015). Returns to Skills around the World: Evidence from PIAAC, European Economic Review 73, 103–130.
- Statista 2022: Höhe des durchschnittlichen Nettolohns/Nettogehalts im Monat je Arbeitnehmer in Deutschland von 1991 bis 2021. https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/370558/umfrage/monatliche-nettoloehne-und-gehaelter-je-arbeitnehmer-in-deutschland/ [accessed: 2022-06-28]