RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Expectations about the Productivity of Effort and Academic Outcomes
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0824-13737R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.0824-13737R2
A1 Delavande, Adeline
A1 Bono, Emilia Del
A1 Holford, Angus
A1 Sen, Sonkurt
A1 Lesic, Vedran
YR 2026
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2026/09/01/jhr.0824-13737R2.abstract
AB We implement a randomized information intervention to enhance beliefs about the productivity of effort on a cohort of undergraduate students at a UK university. The intervention increases first-year exam grades and GPA, with an intention-to-treat effect of 0.10 of a standard deviation. The effects are larger for men, reducing the gender gap in academic achievement by a third. The data allow us to examine the mechanisms linking the intervention to outcomes, through changes in beliefs and academic inputs, as well as its longer-term effects. We replicate the main results at another UK university, highlighting the external validity of our findings.