Do people really want to be informed? Ex-ante evaluations of information-campaign effectiveness

Romain Espinosa () and Jan Stoop
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Romain Espinosa: CREM - Université de Rennes 1
Jan Stoop: Erasmus School of Economics

Experimental Economics, 2021, vol. 24, issue 4, No 3, 1155 pages

Abstract: Abstract We develop a method to assess population knowledge about any given topic. We define, and rationalize, types of beliefs that form the ‘knowledge spectrum’. Using a sample of over 7000 UK residents, we estimate these beliefs with respect to three topics: an animal-based diet, alcohol consumption and immigration. We construct an information-campaign effectiveness index (ICEI) that predicts the success of an information campaign. Information resistance is greatest for animal-based diets, and the ICEI is highest for immigration. We test the predictive power of our ICEI by simulating information campaigns, which produces supportive evidence. Our method can be used by any government or company that wants to explore the success of an information campaign.

Keywords: Information campaigns; Information resistance; Experiment; Diet; Alcohol; Immigration; Knowledge spectrum (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C70 C90 D1 D10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10683-020-09692-6

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