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Women are scaredy-cats and men are conquerors?

Author

Listed:
  • Jürg Hari

    (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Elisabeth Pirsch

    (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Heike Rawitzer

    (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

Abstract

The European legal framework requires that financial consultants assess their clients’ risk tolerance before advising them on investments. The study aims at further testing an alternative measure to quantify the risk attitudes of investors: The Implicit Association Test (IAT). This study examines differences in implicit, unconscious, and explicit cognitive attitudes of men and women. The results of the IAT are compared with their answers from a risk tolerance questionnaire used by practitioners and self-selected asset allocation (portfolio). The data show that implicit attitude, and, thus, unconscious and uncontrolled thinking, can differ from conscious processes. Furthermore, in this study, there is no gender gap in risk attitude and risk tolerance. The findings suggest that experience and financial knowledge are likely the most important determinants of risk attitudes with no significant difference between men and women.

Suggested Citation

  • Jürg Hari & Elisabeth Pirsch & Heike Rawitzer, 2018. "Women are scaredy-cats and men are conquerors?," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(2), pages 128-139, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jofsma:v:23:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1057_s41264-018-0045-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41264-018-0045-x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Wookjae Heo & Abed G. Rabbani & Jae Min Lee, 2021. "Mediation between financial risk tolerance and equity ownership: assessing the role of financial knowledge underconfidence," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(3), pages 169-180, September.
    3. Shakira MUKHTAR & Anisa JAN, 2023. "Decoding financial literacy's mediating role: analyzing the influence of biopsychosocial indicators on financial satisfaction and risk tolerance among millennial investors," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(637), W), pages 219-242, Winter.
    4. John E. Grable & Wookjae Heo & Abed Rabbani, 2021. "Characteristics of random responders in a financial risk-tolerance questionnaire," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(1), pages 1-9, March.

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