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Risky choices and emotion-based learning

Author

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  • Lucarelli, Caterina
  • Uberti, Pierpaolo
  • Brighetti, Gianni
  • Maggi, Mario

Abstract

The paper offers a comprehensive analysis of causes and consequences of the accumulation of emotional experience, measured via skin conductance response, when taking risky choices. A large experimental data set was obtained from a psycho-physiological task conducted with 645 bank customers and financial professionals. With respect to causes, we found that the individual emotional response to gains/losses is trend-dependent and influenced by habituation, as well as by anchoring/framing due to the external layout of risky alternatives. With respect to consequences, we found evidence that the somatic reinforcement experience is able to guide asset picking, but within a long-term strategy. Consequently, selection behaviors were observed in a portfolio mean–variance framework, revealing that somatic markers lead individuals to pursue a long-term ‘psycho-economic’ efficiency that integrates factual information (monetary outcomes) with the implicit subjective experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucarelli, Caterina & Uberti, Pierpaolo & Brighetti, Gianni & Maggi, Mario, 2015. "Risky choices and emotion-based learning," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 59-73.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:49:y:2015:i:c:p:59-73
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2015.04.004
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    Cited by:

    1. López-Guzmán, Silvia & Sautua, Santiago I., 2024. "Effects of a fearful emotional state on financial decisions in the presence of prior outcome information," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    2. Anzel van den Bergh-Lindeque & Sune Ferreira-Schenk & Zandri Dickason-Koekemoer, 2021. "Individual Investor Risk Tolerance from a Behavioural Finance Perspective in Gauteng, South Africa," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 11(4), pages 53-65.
    3. Fochmann, Martin & Hemmerich, Kristina & Kiesewetter, Dirk, 2016. "Intrinsic and extrinsic effects on behavioral tax biases in risky investment decisions," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 218-231.
    4. Gian Seloni & Sri Kusrohmaniah & Galang Lufityanto, 2023. "The perils of acting rashly: Risk-taking propensity impeding emotion-based learning in entrepreneurs [Les dangers de l’audace: La propension à prendre des risques entrave l’apprentissage basé sur l," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 89-110, March.
    5. Angel, Stefan, 2018. "Smart tools? A randomized controlled trial on the impact of three different media tools on personal finance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 104-111.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Decision-making; Emotion-based learning; Asset selection; Portfolio choices; Neuroeconomics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • D87 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Neuroeconomics

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