nep-fle New Economics Papers
on Financial Literacy and Education
Issue of 2021‒04‒19
five papers chosen by



  1. Financial vulnerability and seeking expert advice: Evidence from a survey experiment By Delis, Manthos; Galariotis, Emilios; Monne, Jerome
  2. Financial Education and Financial Access for Transnational Households: Field Experimental Evidence from the Philippines By Paolo Abarcar; Rashmi Barua; Dean Yang
  3. Subsidy policies and insurance demand By Cai, J; de Janvry, A; Sadoulet, E
  4. Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions:analysis of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries By Elsa Assiaty de L. A. Agostinho; Raquel M. Gaspar
  5. The impact of mandatory economic education on adolescents' attitudes By Oberrauch, Luis; Seeber, Günther

  1. By: Delis, Manthos; Galariotis, Emilios; Monne, Jerome
    Abstract: The role of a bank advisor is especially important for guiding and counseling financially distressed individuals. Using a randomized controlled survey experiment conducted on a representative sample of French individuals and priming the financial vulnerability of half the respondents, we examine attitudes toward bank advisors. We find that priming deters low-income individuals from showing an extremely negative attitude toward seeking banking advice (positive effect); it also deters them from showing an extremely positive attitude (negative effect). We also find that acute financial distress partially drives the positive effect, and a lack of financial literacy partially drives the negative effect.
    Keywords: Behavioral economics and finance; Poverty; Salience; Survey experiment; Priming; Banking services; Financial advisor.
    JEL: C83 C9 D14 D90 D91 G2
    Date: 2021–04–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:107095&r=all
  2. By: Paolo Abarcar; Rashmi Barua; Dean Yang
    Abstract: We implemented a randomized controlled trial among transnational households in the Philippines estimating impacts of a financial education treatment, a financial access treatment, and the combination of the two on financial behaviors.
    Keywords: Phillippines, randomized controlled trial, financial
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mpr:mprres:32f8660dc37848dc9d41ad3780ff978d&r=all
  3. By: Cai, J; de Janvry, A; Sadoulet, E
    Abstract: Using data from a two-year pricing experiment, we study the impact of subsidy policies on weather insurance take-up. Results show that subsidies increase future insurance take-up through their influence on payout experiences. Exploring mechanisms of the payout effect, we find that for households that randomly benefited from financial education, receiving a payout provides a one-time learning experience that improves take-up permanently. In contrast, households with poor insurance knowledge continuously update take-up decisions based on recent experiences with disasters and payouts. Combining subsidy policies with financial education can thus be effective in promoting long-run insurance adoption.
    Keywords: Economics, Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services, Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
    Date: 2020–08–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:agrebk:qt5cc1b1fk&r=all
  4. By: Elsa Assiaty de L. A. Agostinho; Raquel M. Gaspar
    Abstract: Microfinance is seen as an important tool for financial inclusion and the fight against poverty because it has both a social and financial focus. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the financial and social efficiency of 18 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the year 2016 from 8 member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The methodology chosen is the data envelopment analysis (DEA) with variable returns to scale (VRS) using an input-oriented production approach. The results indicate higher scores of financial efficiency than social efficiency. This may suggest that microfinance institutions adopt a more institutionalist approach over the welfarist approach. We also find evidence that providing financial services to women or the entire disadvantaged population is profitable. However, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are more efficient in this regard than credit unions or banks.
    Keywords: Microfinance, Financial Efficiency, Social Efficiency, DEA and SADC
    JEL: G20 G21
    Date: 2021–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ise:remwps:wp01722021&r=all
  5. By: Oberrauch, Luis; Seeber, Günther
    Abstract: Various studies have examined how the study of economics affects students’ views on economic phenomena, yet there is little evidence regarding its impact on teenagers. We study the role of a recent curriculum reform introducing mandatory economic education on teenagers’ attitudes towards economics in Southwest Germany. Our findings reveal that students affected by the reform show, on average, more interest in economics, see money as more important and expect more social responsibility from companies. Conversely, we don't observe differences in attitudes towards competition. Regarding socio-economic characteristics, our data reveal strong gender differences already before adulthood.
    Keywords: Pre-college economic education,economic attitudes,economic competence,gender gap
    JEL: A21 D14 I20
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:232586&r=all

General information on the NEP project can be found at https://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.