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Proud to Not Own Stocks: How Identity Shapes Financial Decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Luca Henkel

    (University of Bonn)

  • Christian Zimpelmann

    (IZA – Institute of Labor Economics)

Abstract

This paper introduces a key factor influencing households' decision to invest in the stock market: how people view stockholders. Using surveys we conducted with nearly 8,500 individuals from eleven countries, we document that a large majority of respondents view stockholders negatively - they are perceived as greedy, gambler-like, and selfish individuals. We then provide experimental evidence that such perceptions of identity-relevant characteristics causally influence decision-making: if people view stockholders more negatively, they are less likely to choose stock-related investments. Furthermore, by linking survey and administrative data, we show that negative perceptions strongly predict households’ stock market participation, more so than leading alternative determinants. Our findings provide a novel explanation for the puzzlingly low stock market participation rates around the world, new perspectives on the malleability of financial decision-making, and evidence for the importance of identity in economic decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Henkel & Christian Zimpelmann, 2022. "Proud to Not Own Stocks: How Identity Shapes Financial Decisions," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 206, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:206
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    File URL: https://www.econtribute.de/RePEc/ajk/ajkdps/ECONtribute_206_2022.pdf
    File Function: Second version, 2023
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    Cited by:

    1. Lorenz Meister & Karla Schulze, 2022. "How Shocks Affect Stock Market Participation," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 142, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Felix Chopra & Ingar Haaland, 2023. "Conducting qualitative interviews with AI," CEBI working paper series 23-06, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    3. Tsang, Albert & Yu, Li, 2023. "Socially responsible local firms and stock market participation: Evidence from the U.S. household survey," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    4. Laudenbach, Christine & Malmendier, Ulrike & Niessen-Ruenzi, Alexandra, 2024. "The long-lasting effects of experiencing communism on attitudes towards financial markets," SAFE Working Paper Series 429, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    identity; perceptions; stock market participation; financial decision-making;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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