IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jconsa/v57y2023i3p1281-1303.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Psychological distancing and language intensity in Peer‐to‐Peer lending

Author

Listed:
  • Jin Huang
  • Jun Li
  • Vania Sena

Abstract

Peer‐to‐peer (P2P) lending is referred to as lending money to unknown borrowers directly through online platforms without using traditional financial intermediaries. We leverage insights from the literature on psychological distancing and affective intensity to argue that linguistic styles, as the manifestation of social psychological distance, have a negative impact on P2P funding success. Testing our arguments with data from a major Chinese P2P platform, we find that using too many “you” and negations (proxies for social psychological distance) in the borrower's description will dampen a lender's willingness to support a funding campaign. Moreover, when the social psychological distance is large, language intensity can be perceived as desperate, making a lender even less willing to support the funding campaign. Our research shed new light on the role of language in P2P funding success and has practical implications for lenders, borrowers and regulators in overcoming barriers in P2P lending.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin Huang & Jun Li & Vania Sena, 2023. "Psychological distancing and language intensity in Peer‐to‐Peer lending," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 1281-1303, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:57:y:2023:i:3:p:1281-1303
    DOI: 10.1111/joca.12535
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12535
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/joca.12535?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giancarlo Giudici & Massimiliano Guerini & Cristina Rossi-Lamastra, 2018. "Reward-based crowdfunding of entrepreneurial projects: the effect of local altruism and localized social capital on proponents’ success," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 307-324, February.
    2. Jinhong Jackson Mi & Hongfei Zhu, 2017. "Can funding platforms’ self-initiated financial innovation improve credit availability? Evidence from China’s P2P market," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(6), pages 396-398, March.
    3. Chen, Xiao & Huang, Bihong & Ye, Dezhu, 2018. "The role of punctuation in P2P lending: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 634-643.
    4. Jörn Block & Lars Hornuf & Alexandra Moritz, 2018. "Which updates during an equity crowdfunding campaign increase crowd participation?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 3-27, January.
    5. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    6. Robert J. Fisher & Mark Vandenbosch & Kersi D. Antia, 2008. "An Empathy-Helping Perspective on Consumers' Responses to Fund-Raising Appeals," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 519-531, February.
    7. Allison, Thomas H. & McKenny, Aaron F. & Short, Jeremy C., 2013. "The effect of entrepreneurial rhetoric on microlending investment: An examination of the warm-glow effect," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 690-707.
    8. Lawrence E. Williams & Randy Stein & Laura Galguera, 2014. "The Distinct Affective Consequences of Psychological Distance and Construal Level," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(6), pages 1123-1138.
    9. Tobias Berg & Valentin Burg & Ana Gombović & Manju Puri, 2020. "On the Rise of FinTechs: Credit Scoring Using Digital Footprints," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(7), pages 2845-2897.
    10. Pengnate, Supavich (Fone) & Riggins, Frederick J., 2020. "The role of emotion in P2P microfinance funding: A sentiment analysis approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    11. Dorfleitner, Gregor & Priberny, Christopher & Schuster, Stephanie & Stoiber, Johannes & Weber, Martina & de Castro, Ivan & Kammler, Julia, 2016. "Description-text related soft information in peer-to-peer lending – Evidence from two leading European platforms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 169-187.
    12. Anglin, Aaron H. & Short, Jeremy C. & Drover, Will & Stevenson, Regan M. & McKenny, Aaron F. & Allison, Thomas H., 2018. "The power of positivity? The influence of positive psychological capital language on crowdfunding performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 470-492.
    13. Parhankangas, Annaleena & Renko, Maija, 2017. "Linguistic style and crowdfunding success among social and commercial entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 215-236.
    14. Jianrong Yao & Jiarui Chen & June Wei & Yuangao Chen & Shuiqing Yang, 2019. "The relationship between soft information in loan titles and online peer-to-peer lending: evidence from RenRenDai platform," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 111-129, March.
    15. Pezzuti, Todd & Leonhardt, James M. & Warren, Caleb, 2021. "Certainty in Language Increases Consumer Engagement on Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 32-46.
    16. Qizhi Tao & Yizhe Dong & Ziming Lin, 2017. "Who can get money? Evidence from the Chinese peer-to-peer lending platform," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 425-441, June.
    17. Mingfeng Lin & Nagpurnanand R. Prabhala & Siva Viswanathan, 2013. "Judging Borrowers by the Company They Keep: Friendship Networks and Information Asymmetry in Online Peer-to-Peer Lending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(1), pages 17-35, August.
    18. Huang, Jin & Sena, Vania & Li, Jun & Ozdemir, Sena, 2021. "Message framing in P2P lending relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 761-773.
    19. Heli Wang & Jaepil Choi & Jiatao Li, 2008. "Too Little or Too Much? Untangling the Relationship Between Corporate Philanthropy and Firm Financial Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(1), pages 143-159, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Shaoda & Ye, Dezhu & Liao, Junyun, 2024. "Politeness matters: The role of polite languages in online peer-to-peer lending," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Cai, Wanxiang & Polzin, Friedemann & Stam, Erik, 2021. "Crowdfunding and social capital: A systematic review using a dynamic perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    3. Huang, Jin & Sena, Vania & Li, Jun & Ozdemir, Sena, 2021. "Message framing in P2P lending relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 761-773.
    4. Wang, Chao & Wang, Junbo & Wu, Chunchi & Zhang, Yue, 2023. "Voluntary disclosure in P2P lending: Information or hyperbole?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Lars Hornuf & Johannes Voshaar, 2024. "What Is an Effective Signal in Crowdfunding? Evidence from Expert Researchers and a Meta-Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 11501, CESifo.
    6. Serena Gallo, 2021. "Fintech platforms: Lax or careful borrowers’ screening?," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-33, December.
    7. Qun Chen & Ji-Wen Li & Jian-Guo Liu & Jing-Ti Han & Yun Shi & Xun-Hua Guo, 2021. "Borrower Learning Effects: Do Prior Experiences Promote Continuous Successes in Peer-to-Peer Lending?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 963-986, August.
    8. Qun Chen & Ji-Wen Li & Jian-Guo Liu & Jing-Ti Han & Yun Shi & Xun-Hua Guo, 0. "Borrower Learning Effects: Do Prior Experiences Promote Continuous Successes in Peer-to-Peer Lending?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-24.
    9. Samuel Ribeiro-Navarrete & Juan Piñeiro-Chousa & M. Ángeles López-Cabarcos & Daniel Palacios-Marqués, 2022. "Crowdlending: mapping the core literature and research frontiers," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2381-2411, November.
    10. Kriebel, Johannes & Stitz, Lennart, 2022. "Credit default prediction from user-generated text in peer-to-peer lending using deep learning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 302(1), pages 309-323.
    11. Maria Figueroa-Armijos & John P. Berns, 2022. "Vulnerable Populations and Individual Social Responsibility in Prosocial Crowdfunding: Does the Framing Matter for Female and Rural Entrepreneurs?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 377-394, May.
    12. Johan, Sofia & Zhang, Yelin, 2020. "Quality revealing versus overstating in equity crowdfunding," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    13. Sardar Muhammad Usman & Farasat Ali Shah Bukhari & Huiwei You & Daniel Badulescu & Darie Gavrilut, 2020. "The Effect and Impact of Signals on Investing Decisions in Reward-Based Crowdfunding: A Comparative Study of China and the United Kingdom," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, December.
    14. Gregor Dorfleitner & Eva-Maria Oswald & Rongxin Zhang, 2021. "From Credit Risk to Social Impact: On the Funding Determinants in Interest-Free Peer-to-Peer Lending," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(2), pages 375-400, May.
    15. Vincenzo Butticè & Diego Useche, 2022. "Crowdfunding to overcome the immigrant entrepreneurs’ liability of outsidership: the role of internal social capital," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1519-1540, December.
    16. Li, Jianwen & Hu, Jinyan, 2019. "Does university reputation matter? Evidence from peer-to-peer lending," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 66-77.
    17. Davaadorj, Zagdbazar & Enkhtaivan, Bolortuya & Lu, Wenling, 2024. "The role of job titles in online peer-to-peer lending: An empirical investigation on skilled borrowers," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    18. Chen, Xiao & Huang, Bihong & Shaban, Mohamed, 2022. "Naïve or sophisticated? Information disclosure and investment decisions in peer to peer lending," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    19. Douglas J. Cumming & Lars Hornuf, 2020. "Marketplace Lending of SMEs," CESifo Working Paper Series 8100, CESifo.
    20. Chen, Shiyi & Gu, Yan & Liu, Qingfu & Tse, Yiuman, 2020. "How do lenders evaluate borrowers in peer-to-peer lending in China?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 651-662.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:57:y:2023:i:3:p:1281-1303. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0022-0078 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.