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Skill, effort, luck: Determinants of rank-based endowments and risk-taking in a social setting

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  • Krull, Sebastian
  • Pelster, Matthias
  • Steinorth, Petra

Abstract

Social comparisons and rank-based endowments impact risk-taking decisions. We provide experimental evidence indicating that rank-based endowments have differential impacts on risk-taking decisions based on the aspect used to rank individuals. We observe the largest rank-based differences when such endowments are determined based on individuals’ effort or skill. Compared to individuals who rank first, individuals who rank last in these settings increase their risk-taking by, on average, 17.55 percentage points (pp). In the case of luck-based endowments, the effect size is significantly smaller (11.34 pp). We conduct an additional treatment where rank and endowment are independent and find that differences in risk-taking are driven mainly by participants’ endowments rather than by the ranking itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Krull, Sebastian & Pelster, Matthias & Steinorth, Petra, 2024. "Skill, effort, luck: Determinants of rank-based endowments and risk-taking in a social setting," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:beexfi:v:42:y:2024:i:c:s221463502400039x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbef.2024.100924
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Decision under risk; Risk-taking; Social ranking; Peer effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets

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