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Hollywood, Wall Street, and Mistrusting Individual Investors

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  • Lenz, Guido
  • Mayer, Maximilian

Abstract

Individual investors reduce their trading activity in financial markets after the release of negatively biased Hollywood movies related to financial markets. These movies regularly depict financial markets and professionals active in them as marked by greed and corruption (Lichter et al. 1997). This decline in trading activity at the extensive margin comes together with depressed investor sentiment marked by higher likelihoods and volumes of selling than of buying transactions by those investors still active. Their avoidance of investing in and tendency to trade out of stocks related to companies in the financial industry, as well as their shift from actively managed mutual funds to passive vehicles (ETFs), provide evidence for the deterioration of investors’ trust in the financial industry and its managers. This channel is in line with existing literature on subjective beliefs in investment decisions and the impact of biased media coverage, such as the negative depiction of financial markets, shareholders, and managers in Hollywood movies.

Suggested Citation

  • Lenz, Guido & Mayer, Maximilian, 2023. "Hollywood, Wall Street, and Mistrusting Individual Investors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 117-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:210:y:2023:i:c:p:117-138
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2023.03.030
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Household finance; Behavioral finance; Investment decisions; Investment behavior; Risk aversion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • 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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