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Performance effects of setting a high reference point for peer-performance comparison

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  • Eyring, Henry
  • Narayanan, V.G.

Abstract

We conduct a field experiment, based on a registered report accepted by the Journal of Accounting Research, to test performance effects of setting a high reference point for peer-performance comparison. Relative to providing the median as a reference point for online students to compare themselves to, providing the top quartile: damps performance for those below the median; boosts performance for those between the median and top quartile; and, in the case of outcome but not process comparison, boosts performance for those above the top quartile. We do not find that either reference point yields a greater average performance effect. However, providing the more effective reference point in each partition of initial performance yields a 40% greater performance effect than providing either reference point uniformly. Students access the online courses intermittently over the span of a year. Our effects derive from small portions of our treatment groups—5% in the case of process comparison and 26% in the case of outcome comparison—who accessed treatment and who were, on average, more active leading up to and during our intervention

Suggested Citation

  • Eyring, Henry & Narayanan, V.G., 2018. "Performance effects of setting a high reference point for peer-performance comparison," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86732, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:86732
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86732/
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    Cited by:

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    5. Saskia Opitz & Dirk Sliwka & Timo Vogelsang & Tom Zimmermann, 2022. "The Targeted Assignment of Incentive Schemes," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 187, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    6. Buechel, Berno & Mechtenberg, Lydia & Petersen, Julia, 2018. "If I can do it, so can you! Peer effects on perseverance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 301-314.
    7. Amrou Awaysheh & Rocio Bonet & Jaime Ortega, 2023. "Performance feedback and productivity: Evidence from a field experiment," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(1), pages 98-115, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    relative performance information; reference points; performance; social comparison;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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