Behavioral Economics Field Experiment in HIV Testing

Subjects in this condition will be read a script informing them of the benefits and importance of routine HIV/AIDS testing for themselves, the benefits for one's partner and loved ones, and for the broader community; they are also given a flyer including the same information.Iin addition, they will be told that if they will get tested for HIV/AIDS within the next two weeks, they will receive $10 (the US dollar became Ecuador's official currency in 2001).

Subjects assigned to this condition are read a script informing them of the benefits and importance of routine HIV/AIDS testing for themselves, the benefits for one's partner and loved ones, and for the broader community; they are also given a flyer including the same information. Then, they are invited to get tested in the next two weeks.

"Subjects in this condition will receive the same information and flyer as in T1; in addition, they are told that they have the opportunity to express their intention to get tested for HIV/AIDS. To this aim, they will be given a sheet of paper and asked to tick one of two boxes. The first box will say I intend to get tested within the next two weeks, and the second will say I will consider getting tested within the next two weeks but I am not ready to commit at this time. They will also be asked to write their initials at the bottom of the sheet, and will be told to keep it. This is a form of soft commitment which has proven effective in other contexts (Bryan et al. 2010)."