 Relative performance feedback and the effects of being above average — field experiment and replicationRaphael Brade, Oliver Himmler and Robert Jäckle Economics of Education Review, 2022, vol. 89, issue C Abstract: In a randomized field experiment, we give first-year students in higher education feedback on their relative performance and show that the type of feedback matters, as feedback increases performance only if it informs the student that they placed above average in the past. We reproduce the results in a replication experiment and investigate mechanisms: The effects are not driven by above-average students reacting particularly well to feedback due to individual characteristics; rather, the information about being above average makes feedback effective. We present evidence that individuals focus on good news to adjust their beliefs, and that feedback can offset disadvantages faced by individuals who are held back by their own underestimation of relative abilities. Once beliefs between controls and the treated converge, repeated treatment does not add to the effects. Keywords: Relative performance feedback; Randomized field experiment; Selective information processing; Higher education (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:89:y:2022:i:c:s0272775722000449 DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102268 Access Statistics for this article Economics of Education Review is currently edited by E. Cohn More articles in Economics of Education Review from Elsevier |
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