IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ijoeps/v18y2024i2d10.1007_s42495-024-00134-2.html

Do financial ethics matter in risky asset investment of households? Evidence from Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Hiroyuki Aman

    (Kwansei Gakuin University)

  • Taizo Motonishi

    (Kansai University)

  • Chisako Yamane

    (Hiroshima University of Economics)

Abstract

In this study, we examine how financial ethics, defined as an aversive attitude toward financial matters, influence households’ risky asset investments. By using a questionnaire survey on households in Japan, financial ethics are measured on multiple dimensions: psychological attitude toward money, normative attitude toward economic transactions, and unwillingness to disclose financial information. Overall, evidence supports the financial ethics hypothesis that people with a high level of financial ethics are reluctant to invest in risky assets. Particularly, decisions to participate in the stock market are impaired by strong financial ethics. The hypothesis is partly supported for the percentage shares of stock holdings and investment in a broad class of risky assets. Furthermore, our mediation analysis reveals that financial ethics not only directly discourage investment but also have an indirect effect through reduced financial literacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiroyuki Aman & Taizo Motonishi & Chisako Yamane, 2024. "Do financial ethics matter in risky asset investment of households? Evidence from Japan," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 387-414, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijoeps:v:18:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s42495-024-00134-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s42495-024-00134-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s42495-024-00134-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s42495-024-00134-2?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. Arno Riedl & Paul Smeets, 2017. "Why Do Investors Hold Socially Responsible Mutual Funds?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(6), pages 2505-2550, December.
    2. 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.
    3. Kaustia, Markku & Torstila, Sami, 2011. "Stock market aversion? Political preferences and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 98-112, April.
    4. Klein, Paul-Olivier & Turk, Rima & Weill, Laurent, 2017. "Religiosity vs. well-being effects on investor behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 50-62.
    5. Yamori, Nobuyoshi & Ueyama, Hitoe, 2022. "Financial Literacy and Low Stock Market Participation of Japanese Households," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    6. Luc Arrondel & Majdi Debbich & Fr�d�rique Savignac, 2015. "Stockholding in France: the role of financial literacy and information," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(16), pages 1315-1319, November.
    7. Bruno S. Frey & Reto Jegen, 2001. "Motivation Crowding Theory," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(5), pages 589-611, December.
    8. John C. Whitehead & Subhrendu K. Pattanayak & George L. Van Houtven & Brett R. Gelso, 2008. "Combining Revealed And Stated Preference Data To Estimate The Nonmarket Value Of Ecological Services: An Assessment Of The State Of The Science," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 872-908, December.
    9. Armin Falk & Anke Becker & Thomas Dohmen & Benjamin Enke & David B. Huffman & Uwe Sunde, 2017. "Global Evidence on Economic Preferences," NBER Working Papers 23943, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Armin Falk & Anke Becker & Thomas Dohmen & Benjamin Enke & David Huffman & Uwe Sunde, 2018. "Global Evidence on Economic Preferences," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 133(4), pages 1645-1692.
    11. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2008. "Trusting the Stock Market," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(6), pages 2557-2600, December.
    12. Hanson, Thomas A. & Olson, Peter M., 2018. "Financial literacy and family communication patterns," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 64-71.
    13. McCleary, Rachel & Barro, Robert, 2003. "Religion and Economic Growth across Countries," Scholarly Articles 3708464, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    14. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-01203090 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Kaustia, Markku & Knüpfer, Samuli, 2012. "Peer performance and stock market entry," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(2), pages 321-338.
    16. Li, Jianjun & Li, Qize & Wei, Xu, 2020. "Financial literacy, household portfolio choice and investment return," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    17. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:1:p:137-163 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Gutsche, Gunnar & Nakai, Miwa & Arimura, Toshi H., 2021. "Revisiting the determinants of individual sustainable investment—The case of Japan," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C).
    19. Kawamura, Tetsuya & Mori, Tomoharu & Motonishi, Taizo & Ogawa, Kazuhito, 2021. "Is Financial Literacy Dangerous? Financial Literacy, Behavioral Factors, and Financial Choices of Households," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    20. Dawn M. Dobni & Marie D. Racine, 2015. "Stock Market Image: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 130-139, April.
    21. 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.
    22. Gutsche, Gunnar & Ziegler, Andreas, 2019. "Which private investors are willing to pay for sustainable investments? Empirical evidence from stated choice experiments," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 193-214.
    23. Keller, Carmen & Siegrist, Michael, 2006. "Investing in stocks: The influence of financial risk attitude and values-related money and stock market attitudes," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 285-303, April.
    24. Jeffrey R. Brown & Zoran Ivković & Paul A. Smith & Scott Weisbenner, 2008. "Neighbors Matter: Causal Community Effects and Stock Market Participation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1509-1531, June.
    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. Aman, Hiroyuki & Kasuga, Norihiro & Motonishi, Taizo & Yamane, Chisako, 2025. "Dual effects of individuals’ sustainability orientation on investment and consumption: Evidence from environmental issues in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 76(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. Gutsche, Gunnar & Wetzel, Heike & Ziegler, Andreas, 2020. "How relevant are economic preferences and personality traits for individual sustainable investment behavior? A framed field experiment," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224542, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Aman, Hiroyuki & Kasuga, Norihiro & Motonishi, Taizo & Yamane, Chisako, 2025. "Dual effects of individuals’ sustainability orientation on investment and consumption: Evidence from environmental issues in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    3. Gutsche, Gunnar & Wetzel, Heike & Ziegler, Andreas, 2023. "Determinants of individual sustainable investment behavior - A framed field experiment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 491-508.
    4. Gunnar Gutsche & Miwa Nakai & Toshi H. Arimura, 2021. "Individual Sustainable Investment in Japan," RIEEM Discussion Paper Series 2006, Research Institute for Environmental Economics and Management, Waseda University.
    5. Gutsche, Gunnar & Nakai, Miwa & Arimura, Toshi H., 2021. "Revisiting the determinants of individual sustainable investment—The case of Japan," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C).
    6. Maxime Merli & Jessie Pallud & Mariya Pulikova, 2024. "Going green? On the drivers of individuals' green bank adoption," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 780-794, October.
    7. Kaustia, Markku & Conlin, Andrew & Luotonen, Niilo, 2023. "What drives stock market participation? The role of institutional, traditional, and behavioral factors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    8. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    9. Li, Qize & Brounen, Dirk & Li, Jianjun & Wei, Xu, 2022. "Social interactions and Chinese households’ participation in the risky financial market," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    10. Daniel Engler & Gunnar Gutsche & Andreas Ziegler, 2025. "Does the willingness to pay for sustainable investments differ between non-incentivized and incentivized choice experiments?," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202515, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    11. Meister, Lorenz & Menkhoff, Lukas & Schröder, Carsten, 2025. "Stock market participation, work from home, and inequality," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    12. Meister, Lorenz & Menkhoff, Lukas & Schröder, Carsten, 2024. "Work from Home, Stock Market Participation, and Inequality," VfS Annual Conference 2024 (Berlin): Upcoming Labor Market Challenges 302335, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Delis, Manthos D. & Dioikitopoulos, Evangelos V. & Ongena, Steven, 2023. "Population diversity and financial risk-taking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    14. Renneboog, L.D.R. & Spaenjers, C., 2009. "Where Angels Fear to Trade : The Role of Religion in Household Finance," Other publications TiSEM 1805b57f-17bc-414f-b553-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    15. Luc Arrondel, 2020. "Financial literacy and French behaviour on the stock market," Working Papers halshs-02505320, HAL.
    16. Eleonora Patacchini & Edoardo Rainone, 2017. "Social Ties and the Demand for Financial Services," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 52(1), pages 35-88, October.
    17. Luc Arrondel, 2018. "Financial Literacy and Asset Behaviour: Poor Education and Zero for Conduct?," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 60(1), pages 144-160, March.
    18. Joshua Tasoff & Wenjie Zhang, 2022. "The Performance of Time-Preference and Risk-Preference Measures in Surveys," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 1149-1173, February.
    19. Peijnenburg, Kim & Parise, Gianpaolo, 2017. "Understanding the Determinants of Financial Outcomes and Choices: The Role of Noncognitive Abilities," CEPR Discussion Papers 11900, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    20. Yang, Jing & Shi, Jianxun & Xu, Ling, 2025. "Effect of digital finance on household financial asset allocation: a social psychology perspective," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • G50 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - General

    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:spr:ijoeps:v:18:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s42495-024-00134-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.