Are Financial Advisors Money Doctors or Charlatans? Evidence on Trust, Advice, and Risk Taking in Delegated Asset Management

Qizhang Sun, Michael Gibbert, Thomas T. Hills, Eric Nowak

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

We test the effects of advice and trust on risk-taking in three online experiments designed to elucidate under what conditions financial advice may increase risk-taking, irrespective of advisor performance. In our study, investors made 100 decisions, selecting between one of two alternatives: risky or conservative. We manipulate the suggestion of an advisor (risky vs. non-risky investments), the fee of the advice, as well as the trustworthiness of the advisor (by increasing the transparency of the advice presented) to test the effect of the advice on risk-taking. The results show that individuals asymmetrically follow the advice they received, with a bias towards following more risky than conservative advice. Moreover, trusted advice was more persuasive irrespective of what the advisor suggested and even the fee is higher.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2016
EditorsAnna Papafragou, Daniel Grodner, Daniel Mirman, John C. Trueswell
PublisherThe Cognitive Science Society
Pages895-900
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9780991196739
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society: Recognizing and Representing Events, CogSci 2016 - Philadelphia, United States
Duration: 10 Aug 201613 Aug 2016

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2016

Conference

Conference38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society: Recognizing and Representing Events, CogSci 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhiladelphia
Period10/08/1613/08/16

Keywords

  • Advice taking
  • Financial advice
  • Money doctors
  • Risk taking
  • Trust

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