Are the saving decision patterns of bank customers also clouded by psychological biases? Evidence from Ghana

Abstract

Purpose

This paper attempts to investigate the influence of psychological biases on saving decision-making of bank customers in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

It employs weighted least squares regression to test the effect of psychological biases on savings decisions of bank customers.

Findings

The findings show that all the nine psychological biases, namely mental accounting, availability, loss aversion, representativeness, anchoring, overconfidence, status quo, framing effect and disposition effect employed for the study have a significant influence on saving decision of bank customers. The results depict that psychological biases are entrenched in the saving pattern of bank customers in Ghana.

Practical implications

For policy purposes, the study recommends that bank customers need to enhance their knowledge of psychological biases in order to improve their gains from savings, and not to fall prey to these prejudices. The satisfied customer is a dependable source of bank viability and survival.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge of the author, this study provides the first empirical evidence of the influence of psychological biases on saving decisions of bank customers in Ghana. The findings of this study will enhance knowledge on the influence of psychological biases on individual decision-making and will accentuate the fact that the individual is not an entirely rational being.

Citation

Tetteh, J.E. and Boachie, C. (2023), "Are the saving decision patterns of bank customers also clouded by psychological biases? Evidence from Ghana", Review of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/RBF-05-2021-0094