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Financial information sources and their impact on the financial self-confidence gap between male and female young adult consumers

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  • Harrison, Tina
  • Ansell, Jake
  • Boyd, D. Eric

Abstract

Female consumers are less financially self-confident than their male counterparts. Prior research points to this difference as one reason why female consumers experience lower financial welfare and agency over their lifetime. Consumers learn financial decision-making from others via socialization and financial education. This research tests whether the confidence of a young adult consumer’s source of financial information impacts the young adult consumer’s own financial self-confidence. Data from a randomized controlled field study (involving teachers as the financial information source and high school students as young adult consumers), supports a positive impact of financial information source self-confidence. It also reveals a greater effect on female young adult consumers, positioning improvements in financial information source self-confidence as a gender-sensitive approach to reducing the financial confidence gap between young adult males and females.

Suggested Citation

  • Harrison, Tina & Ansell, Jake & Boyd, D. Eric, 2026. "Financial information sources and their impact on the financial self-confidence gap between male and female young adult consumers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:205:y:2026:i:c:s0148296325006940
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115871
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