Sesgos cognitivos y decisiones financieras: el caso de los estudiantes de modalidad presencial de la UTPL.

Abstract

Abstract: This research analyzes the influence of loss aversion, the halo effect, mental accounting, confirmation bias, and hyperbolic discounting on the financial decisions of on-campus students at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). A quantitative approach was used, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational, and comparative design. Data were collected by administering a survey on sociodemographic characteristics and financial decisions to 382 on-campus UTPL students and analyzed using a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The results show that the most prevalent biases were the halo effect and confirmation bias. Mental accounting also showed a positive and significant influence on savings and financial planning decisions, while hyperbolic discounting had a significant negative influence on financial planning. Loss aversion, the halo effect, and confirmation bias did not show statistically significant effects on the financial decisions analyzed.