IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolet/v204y2021ics0165176521001609.html

Does the ease of reading of financial disclosures influence investment decision?

Author

Listed:
  • Arora, Jagriti
  • Chakraborty, Madhumita

Abstract

The study, through an experimental approach, provides evidence on how the human mind responds to easy versus difficult to read financial disclosures and takes decisions on whether to invest in financial products. The results of the study highlight the need for the regulators to mandate that such disclosures be made in simple language for better investment decision-making by the masses.

Suggested Citation

  • Arora, Jagriti & Chakraborty, Madhumita, 2021. "Does the ease of reading of financial disclosures influence investment decision?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:204:y:2021:i:c:s0165176521001609
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109883
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176521001609
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109883?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Damian Clarke & Joseph P. Romano & Michael Wolf, 2020. "The Romano–Wolf multiple-hypothesis correction in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 20(4), pages 812-843, December.
    2. Shawn Cole & Anna Paulson & Gauri Kartini Shastry, 2014. "Smart Money? The Effect of Education on Financial Outcomes," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(7), pages 2022-2051.
    3. Taejun (David) Lee & TaiWoong Yun & Eric Haley, 2017. "What You Think You Know: The Effects of Prior Financial Education and Readability on Financial Disclosure Processing," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 125-142, April.
    4. Frank P. Stafford & Ngina S. Chiteji, 1999. "Portfolio Choices of Parents and Their Children as Young Adults: Asset Accumulation by African-American Families," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 377-380, May.
    5. Joao F. Cocco, 2005. "Consumption and Portfolio Choice over the Life Cycle," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 491-533.
    6. Kristina Rennekamp, 2012. "Processing Fluency and Investors’ Reactions to Disclosure Readability," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 50(5), pages 1319-1354, December.
    7. Maarten C.J. van Rooij & Annamaria Lusardi & Rob J.M. Alessie, 2012. "Financial Literacy, Retirement Planning and Household Wealth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 122(560), pages 449-478, May.
    8. Burke, Matt & Fry, John, 2019. "How easy is it to understand consumer finance?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 1-4.
    9. Lusardi, Annamaria & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2011. "Financial literacy around the world: an overview," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(4), pages 497-508, October.
    10. van Rooij, Maarten & Lusardi, Annamaria & Alessie, Rob, 2011. "Financial literacy and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(2), pages 449-472, August.
    11. Zhang, Shuyu & Aerts, Walter & Lu, Liping & Pan, Huifeng, 2019. "Readability of token whitepaper and ICO first-day return," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 58-61.
    12. Haliassos, Michael & Bertaut, Carol C, 1995. "Why Do So Few Hold Stocks?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 105(432), pages 1110-1129, September.
    13. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    14. repec:ecj:econjl:v:122:y:2012:i::p:449-478 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bongini, Paola & Osborne, Francesco & Pedrazzoli, Alessia & Rossolini, Monica, 2022. "A topic modelling analysis of white papers in security token offerings: Which topic matters for funding?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Cruciani, Caterina & Santagiustina, Carlo R.M.A., 2023. "The present and future of sustainability disclosure in equity investment funds’ pre-contractual documents: Mapping ESG discourse through STM," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    3. Caterina Cruciani & Carlo Romano Marcello Alessandro Santagiustina, 2023. "The present and future of sustainability disclosure in equity investment funds’ pre-contractual documents: Mapping ESG discourse through STM [Le présent et l'avenir de la divulgation de la durabilité dans les documents pré-contractuels des fonds d," Sciences Po Economics Publications (main) hal-04874589, HAL.
    4. Christofer Adrian & Ka Wai (Stanley) Choi & Mukesh Garg & Cameron Truong, 2022. "Winning the Australasian Reporting Awards: An analysis of accounting and economic outcomes," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 47(4), pages 630-663, November.
    5. Eman Ismail & Yasser Tawfik Halim & Mohamed Samy EL-Deeb, 2023. "Corporate reputation and shareholder investment: a study of Egypt's tourism listed companies," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Hassan, M. Kabir & Zaied, Younes Ben & Managi, Shunsuke, 2023. "Nexus between green finance, environmental degradation, and sustainable development: Evidence from developing countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

    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. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    2. Cupák, Andrej & Fessler, Pirmin & Hsu, Joanne W. & Paradowski, Piotr R., 2022. "Investor confidence and high financial literacy jointly shape investments in risky assets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    3. Annamaria Lusardi & Pierre-Carl Michaud & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2017. "Optimal Financial Knowledge and Wealth Inequality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(2), pages 431-477.
    4. Lusardi, Annamaria & Kaiser, Tim, 2024. "Financial literacy and financial education: An overview," CEPR Discussion Papers 19185, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    5. Zhou, Yang & Yang, Manfang & Gan, Xu, 2023. "Education and financial literacy: Evidence from compulsory schooling law in China," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 335-346.
    6. Hugh Hoikwang Kim & Raimond Maurer & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2019. "How Cognitive Ability and Financial Literacy Shape the Demand for Financial Advice at Older Ages," NBER Working Papers 25750, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Kim, Hugh H. & Maurer, Raimond & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2021. "How financial literacy shapes the demand for financial advice at older ages," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    8. Andrej Cupák & Pirmin Fessler & Joanne W. Hsu & Piotr R. Paradowski, 2020. "Confidence, Financial Literacy and Investment in Risky Assets: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2020-004, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    9. Thakurata, Indrajit, 2021. "Optimal portfolio choice with stock market entry costs and human capital investments: A developing country model," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 175-195.
    10. Barone, Simona & Oggero, Noemi & Damilano, Marina, 2026. "Financial literacy and international portfolio diversification," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    11. Yang, Junhong & Wu, Yu & Huang, Bihong, 2023. "Digital finance and financial literacy: Evidence from Chinese households," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    12. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    13. Fatima, Shumaila & Chakraborty, Madhumita, 2025. "Does mobile phone proficiency contribute to stock market participation? The role of payment convenience, liquidity, and social interaction," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    14. Zhong Chu & Zhengwei Wang & Jing Jian Xiao & Weiqiang Zhang, 2017. "Financial Literacy, Portfolio Choice and Financial Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 799-820, June.
    15. Margaret Miller & Julia Reichelstein & Christian Salas & Bilal Zia, 2015. "Can You Help Someone Become Financially Capable? A Meta-Analysis of the Literature," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 30(2), pages 220-246.
    16. Sandra E Black & Paul J Devereux & Petter Lundborg & Kaveh Majlesi, 2018. "Learning to Take Risks? The Effect of Education on Risk-Taking in Financial Markets," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 22(3), pages 951-975.
    17. Ziyuan Lyu & Li Wei, 2021. "Information sources and participation in the Chinese insurance market: knowledge as a mediator," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 46(1), pages 79-106, January.
    18. Kenneth De Beckker & Kristof De Witte & Geert Van Campenhout, 2020. "The role of national culture in financial literacy: Cross‐country evidence," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 912-930, September.
    19. Oscar A. Stolper & Andreas Walter, 2017. "Financial literacy, financial advice, and financial behavior," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(5), pages 581-643, July.
    20. Christopher B. Bumcrot & Judy Lin & Annamaria Lusardi, 2011. "The Geography of Financial Literacy," Working Papers 893, RAND Corporation.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • G4 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

    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:eee:ecolet:v:204:y:2021:i:c:s0165176521001609. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolet .

    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.