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Do features that associate managers with a message magnify investors’ reactions to narrative disclosures?

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  • Asay, H. Scott
  • Libby, Robert
  • Rennekamp, Kristina M.

Abstract

We test whether investors react more strongly to narrative disclosures when the CEO's presence or association with the message is more salient in the disclosure, holding all other information constant. In our first experiment, we manipulate whether a CEO uses more personal pronouns (e.g., “I” and “our” rather than “the company” and “its”) in an assertion about whether the firm is “likely” or “unlikely” to win a lawsuit. We find investors' beliefs about the outcome of the lawsuit align more closely with the CEO's assertion when the disclosure contains more personal pronouns. Experiments 2 and 3 manipulate the extent of the CEO's association with the message and whether the disclosure contains good or bad news. In the second experiment, we manipulate whether a disclosure uses more personal pronouns. In the third experiment, we manipulate whether a disclosure does or does not contain a photo of the CEO. Both manipulations of association with the message lead to stronger reactions from investors in between-subjects tests. That is, when news is good (bad), including either more personal pronouns or the CEO's photo leads to more positive (negative) assessments of firm value. We also find that, within-subjects, both manipulations are perceived as indicating greater association with the message, but participants do not expect an effect on investment evaluations. In a fourth experiment, we provide additional evidence that personal pronoun usage affects investor reactions by increasing the perceived credibility of the disclosure.

Suggested Citation

  • Asay, H. Scott & Libby, Robert & Rennekamp, Kristina M., 2018. "Do features that associate managers with a message magnify investors’ reactions to narrative disclosures?," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 68, pages 1-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:aosoci:v:68-69:y:2018:i::p:1-14
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aos.2018.02.003
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    3. Asay, H. Scott & Libby, Robert & Rennekamp, Kristina, 2018. "Firm performance, reporting goals, and language choices in narrative disclosures," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 380-398.
    4. Shuyu Zhang & Xuanyu Zhou & Huifeng Pan & Junyi Jia, 2019. "Cryptocurrency, confirmatory bias and news readability – evidence from the largest Chinese cryptocurrency exchange," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(5), pages 1445-1468, March.
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    7. Deborah Nagel & Lisa Koep & Edeltraud Guenther & Thomas Günther, 2019. "“Diesel-Gate” in risk reporting—An analysis of risk communication in annual reports using the example of a disruptive event," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 151-163, December.
    8. Nicole L. Cade & Lisa Koonce & Kim I. Mendoza, 2020. "Using video to disclose forward-looking information: the effect of nonverbal cues on investors’ judgments," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 1444-1474, December.
    9. Andrew C. Stuart & Jean C. Bedard & Cynthia E. Clark, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures and Investor Judgments in Difficult Times: The Role of Ethical Culture and Assurance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(3), pages 565-582, July.
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