The time sensitivity of aspirational interventions: Evidence from a role-modeling RCT

This paper investigates the short-run effects of an aspiration-raising intervention delivered via a randomized controlled trial among postgraduate students at a UK university during the Covid-19 pandemic. A video-based role-modelling intervention led to an immediate increase in aspirations and a delayed increase in self-reported effort. However, both effects dissipated within a few weeks. Employing a simple behavioral model that incorporates time-varying psychological cost of deviating from aspirations, we argue that aspirations may exert greater influence on effort when the goal is closer in time. Our findings suggest that timing and reinforcement are important considerations for the sustained effectiveness of aspiration-building strategies.