Migrants, Not Locals, Seek Out Information on Global Trade Risks

🔎 What Was Tested

Existing research holds that socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals avoid information that highlights risk. An alternative expectation is proposed: when risks from global economic shocks become salient, some disadvantaged people—especially internal migrants—may be more motivated to learn about the distributional effects of those shocks.

📍 How the intervention worked

• A randomized field experiment conducted in Vietnam exposed half of participants to information emphasizing risks associated with a new trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Union.
• Willingness to learn was tracked by observing whether respondents accessed an online video that described the agreement's economic impacts.

👥 Who was included

• The sample focused on migrants and other underprivileged groups, including residents from both sending and receiving locations tied to internal migration.

📈 Key Findings

• Treated migrants were 187% more likely to seek knowledge (i.e., access the explanatory video) compared to the control group.
• No measurable effects were found for residents from sending locations or for residents from receiving locations.

💡 Why It Matters

These results challenge the conventional view that disadvantaged people are broadly averse to risk-related information. Instead, migrants—who face distinct exposure to global economic shocks—may actively seek information and thus play a crucial role in shaping public engagement with globalization and in promoting shared prosperity.