Behavioral Finance and Investor Psychology
Do small gestures on a restaurant check boost tips in Turkey the way they do in America?
Three field experiments in Istanbul tested whether classic American tipping tricks, like writing "thank you" or drawing a smiley on a check, work in a non-WEIRD setting. They did, but Turkish tips ran far smaller overall.
Does geopolitics decide where companies invest? New evidence says increasingly yes
A new study finds that political distance between countries weighs more heavily on foreign investment than a decade ago. But the friendshoring trend is mostly a Western phenomenon, and it reaches far beyond strategic industries.
Feeling thankful, wanting less: How gratitude quiets the pull of money
Four preregistered studies with over 3,000 participants found that gratitude reduces how much people want money, working through stronger feelings of social connection and a sense of purpose beyond the self.
Financial literacy boosts small businesses, but only with one key ingredient
A study of 115 small and medium enterprises finds that financial literacy is linked to stronger business performance, but only when owners also have meaningful access to credit and financial services.
New study sheds light on how self-control and confidence shape your financial well-being
A study of more than 8,500 Spanish adults finds that weak financial self-control and low confidence in managing money are both linked to lower financial well-being, with experiences of financial hardship carrying much of the effect.
Can ChatGPT beat the S&P 500? Eight months of daily picks suggest no
Tracking eight months of daily stock picks from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok, researchers find AI portfolios are concentrated in large tech names, tilted toward momentum, and deliver no abnormal returns after accounting for those tilts.
When inheritances shrink inequality, and when they widen it: A six-country look at the tipping point
A six-country study pinpoints where inheritances stop narrowing wealth gaps and start widening them, then compares those thresholds to each nation's inheritance tax exemptions.
Why winning makes some gamblers bet bigger: the psychological traits behind the “house money” effect
A study linking Finnish betting records to decades-old personality and IQ tests finds that winners tend to bet bigger next time, but the effect is sharper for extraverts and weaker for those high in intelligence or conscientiousness.
Why people think bankers are greedier than students (and why they may be wrong)
A large online experiment pitted finance professionals against students in a game where one person could take money from 16 victims. Professionals did not rob more, despite widespread beliefs that they would.
Packing products tightly on shelves makes shoppers grab more flavors
Four experiments find shoppers pick a wider mix of products when items sit close together on display. The pattern traces back to how spacing shapes visual attention.