Locus of Control and Savings

Deborah Cobb-Clark, Sonja C. Kassenboehmer and Mathias Sinning ()
Additional contact information
Sonja C. Kassenboehmer: Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne; and IZA, Bonn
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Sonja Cornelia de New

Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series from Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne

Abstract: This paper analyzes the relationship between individuals’ locus of control and their savings behavior, i.e. wealth accumulation, savings rates, and portfolio choices. Locus of control is a psychological concept that captures individuals’ beliefs about the controllability of life events and is a key component of self-control. We find that households with an internal reference person save more both in terms of levels and as a percentage of their permanent incomes. Although the locus-of-control gap in savings rates is largest among rich households, the gap in wealth accumulation is particularly large for poor households. Finally, households with an internal reference person and average net worth hold significantly less financial wealth, but significantly more pension wealth, than otherwise similar households with an external reference person.

Keywords: Non-cognitive skills; locus of control; wealth accumulation; asset portfolios; savings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G02 G11 I31 R21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48pp
Date: 2013-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-mac and nep-neu
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads ... series/wp2013n42.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Locus of control and savings (2016)
Working Paper: Locus of Control and Savings (2014)
Working Paper: Locus of Control and Savings (2013)
Working Paper: Locus of Control and Savings (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2013n42

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