Financial Knowledge and Risk Preferences: An Empirical Study on Investment Behaviour of Academicians

The paper is to analyse the correlation between risk appetite of academicians, emotions of academicians and their financial knowledge, particularly in the context of their investment behaviour whereby financial products are more accessible and available in an advanced and complex nature. The primary objectives are to evaluate the levels of financial knowledge and its influence on an investment behavior, especially concentration on the level of influence by such emotional features as risk aversion and overconfidence. A quantitative research method was employed by using a standardised questionnaire measuring demographics, general risk aversion, overconfidence, financial literacy and agreeableness. The data were obtained through purposive selection of academicians involved actively on financial investments. Data analysis was done using “Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)” - 4 as an attempt to determine the both direct and indirect links among the endogenous variable (Financial Risk-Taking Behavior (RTB) and exogenous variables; General Risk Aversion (GRA), Financial Literacy (FL), Overconfidence (OC) and Agreeableness (AG)). It is interesting in the findings that the financial literacy and the emotional intelligence are more important in the determination of investor behavior making it important to have specific training programs designed to help investors navigate through the complexities of the modern financial markets. The paper again states that, behavioral and emotional concerns override financial issues to determine the risk-taking behavior and the paper is glad to hear of the idea of emotional intelligence training that should definitely be coupled with the financial training.