A Randomized Controlled Trial Varying Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US

Study ID sspp-2020-0016-v1

General Details

Project A Randomized Controlled Trial Varying Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US
Study ID sspp-2020-0016-v1
Study Title A Randomized Controlled Trial Varying Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US
Authors Oliver Hauser, Jon Jachimowicz, Julian Jamison, Ania Jaroszewicz
Completion Time 10 Minutes
Close Date April 15, 2021
Discipline Economics, Psychology
Field Development Economics, Behavioral Science, Behavioral Economics
Country United States
Abstract
Prior work, largely in low-income countries, has argued that unconditional cash transfers (UCTs; funds given regardless of a recipient’s behavior) can improve the outcomes of people in poverty. Despite widespread enthusiasm for UCTs, there is little work testing their effectiveness in high-income countries. In this trial, we will randomly assign 5,000 low-income individuals in the United States to receive either no cash, $500, or $2,000 in a one-time, lump-sum payment. We will then measure the effects of these transfers on financial, psychological, cognitive capacity, and physical health outcomes at different time intervals, from one week to several months. These comprehensive data will allow us to assess not only whether UCTs are effective at improving outcomes, but also establish which outcomes they improve the most, how much money is needed to generate the effects, and how long those effects last.

Incentive Details

Incentive Type Based on forecast accuracy
Calculation Method Continuous: Based on absolute forecast accuracy
Recipient Pool Incentives are lottery-based
Lottery Percentage 1.0%

Forecast Distributions

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Citation
Hauser, Oliver, Jachimowicz, Jon, Jamison, Julian, and Ania Jaroszewicz. 2020. "A Randomized Controlled Trial Varying Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US." Social Science Prediction Platform. November 15. https://socialscienceprediction.org/s/zfy6bx