Gender Differences In Risk Perception Research Articles

Gender differences in risk perception and investment behavior

Purpose- Gender differences in investment behavior have been reported by various studies. Behavioral investing seeks to bridge the gap between psychology and investing. Behavioral finance is becoming more predominant in the financial and investment industry. The general concept of behavioral finance suggests that investors do not necessarily make rational investment decisions. Many results of behavioral finance studies show that men and women have different strengths and weaknesses in terms of skills required for investment management. This study focuses on the role of gender in risk perception and investment behavior, with a sample size of 288 respondents. In other words, the aim of the research is to reveal whether there is a difference in investment preferences between men and women. It is investigated whether the gender factor affects investment decision-making behavior. Using an experimental finance approach, the relationship between gender diversity and investment decisions is examined. Methodology- This study focuses on the role of gender in risk perception and investment behavior, with a sample size of 288 respondents. Gender differences in investment behavior have been reported by various studies. Behavioral investing seeks to bridge the gap between psychology and investing. Behavioral finance is becoming more predominant in the financial and investment industry. The general concept of behavioral finance suggests that investors do not necessarily make rational investment decisions. In accordance with the aim of the research, to reveal whether there is a difference in investment choices between men and women, the investment differences between the genders are shown using the graphic method in this study. Then, the normality test and Mann-Whitney U test were applied by using 288 respondents, respectively. Findings- According to the graphic method results it is found that women generally prefer to invest between 10% and 25% of their monthly income in financial markets. T cryptocurrency market is riskier than the stock market for both women and men. Women experience more stress than men at the thought of losing money because of their investment choices. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient for estimating the reliability of the scale employed for respondents’ investment preference was found to be 0.701. The results of data processing obtained by the value of the Kolmogorov-Simirnov significant which means the data were not normally distributed residuals. According to Mann-Whitney U test results, it is underlined that the gender factor differs according to the following variables based on 95% significance level: Conclusion- Survey with different aspects of questions focus on investors’ risk perception. “How often do you check your investments?”; “What is your approximate holding time of an investment instrument?”; “What percentage of your monthly income would you prefer to invest in financial markets?”; “The thought of losing money because of my investment choices is stressed me out”; “Have you ever invested in Cryptocurrencies?”; “What is the most suitable option for your knowledge of the cryptocurrency market?”. It is concluded that there is a significant difference between gender and investment preference. Keywords: Behavioural finance, financial market, cryptocurrency, gender factor, risk perception. JEL Codes: G10, G40, G41

The Relationship Between Risk Perception, Physical Activity, and Adolescent Mental Health: A Cross-Lagged Analysis.

During the novel coronavirus pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adolescents rose dramatically to 31% and 34%, respectively. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between perceived disease risk, physical activity, and adolescent mental health, questioning whether physical activity maintains its protective role amidst heightened disease risk. In a longitudinal study design, questionnaires were administered twice, in December 2022 and January 2023, to a cohort of students across five high schools. These questionnaires measured adolescents' perception of disease risk, their physical activity levels, and their mental health status during the pandemic. A total of 344 students participated in this study. The data revealed significant gender differences in risk perception, with gender difference effects of 0.255 (d=0.416) and 0.195 (d=0.402) across both indicators, and in mental health, with gender difference effects of 0.159 (d=0.262) and 0.179 (d=0.278). Risk perception at Time 1 was found to be a significant predictor of both physical activity and mental health (β values of 0.28 and 0.19, P < 0.01, respectively). Physical activity at Time 1 was also a significant predictor of mental health at Time 2 (β = 0.33, P < 0.01). Moreover, physical activity mediated the relationship between risk perception and mental health, as suggested by a significant indirect effect (mediator effect of 0.012, Z value of 0.112, and a Bootstrap 95% CI excluding 0). This study underscores a longitudinal relationship between adolescents' perception of disease risk, physical activity, and mental health. It highlights the potential benefits of promoting physical activity awareness among adolescents as a strategy to improve mental health outcomes during pandemics.

Risk Perception of Males and Females Towards Online Buying Behaviour: A Comparative Study

The study examines the differences in risk perception between males and females in relation to their online buying behaviour. Online shopping has become a common practice for many consumers, but it also involves risks such as fraud, privacy invasion, and financial loss. While previous research has investigated the factors affecting online buying behaviour, little is known about gender differences in risk perception in this context. This study analyses data collected from a sample of male and female online shoppers using a questionnaire. The findings suggest that males and females perceive risks differently when it comes to online shopping, and these differences affect their behaviour. Females are found to have a higher level of risk perception compared to males, which leads them to take precautions such as checking product reviews and ratings, reading seller information, and using secure payment methods. On the other hand, males tend to be less cautious in their online buying behaviour and are more likely to take risks. This study has implications for online retailers and marketers who can use the findings to develop strategies that address the gender differences in risk perception and help consumers make informed decisions when shopping online. The sample size of the study was 189 respondents. The data analysis was performed with the help of t-test and mean.

Gender differences in health protective behaviours and its implications for COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan: a population-based study

IntroductionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection produces more severe symptoms and a higher mortality in men than in women. The role of biological sex in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is believed to explain this sex disparity. However, the contribution of gender factors that influence health protective behaviors and therefore health outcomes, remains poorly explored.MethodsWe assessed the contributions of gender in attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic, using a hypothetical influenza pandemic data from the 2019 Taiwan Social Change Survey. Participants were selected through a stratified, three-stage probability proportional-to-size sampling from across the nation, to fill in questionnaires that asked about their perception of the hypothetical pandemic, and intention to adopt health protective behaviors.ResultsA total of 1,990 participants (median age = 45·92 years, 49% were women) were included. Significant gender disparities (p < .001) were observed. The risk perception of pandemic (OR = 1·28, 95% CI [1·21 − 1·35], p < .001), older age (OR = 1·06, 95% CI [1·05 − 1·07], p < .001), female gender (OR = 1·18, 95% CI [1·09-1·27], p < .001), higher education (OR = 1·10, 95% CI [1·06 − 1·13], p < .001), and larger family size (OR = 1·09, 95% CI [1·06 − 1·15], p < .001) were positively associated with health protective behaviors. The risk perception of pandemic (OR = 1·25, 95% CI [1·15 − 1·36]), higher education (OR = 1·07, 95% CI [1·02 − 1·13], p < .05), being married (OR = 1·17, 95% CI [1·01–1·36, p < .05), and larger family size (OR = 1·33, 95% CI [1·25 − 1·42], p < .001), were positively associated with intention to receive a vaccine. However, female gender was negatively associated with intention to receive a vaccine (OR = 0·85, 95% CI [0·75 − 0·90], p < ·01) and to comply with contact-tracing (OR = 0·95, 95% CI [0·90 − 1·00], p < .05) compared to men. Living with children was also negatively associated with intention to receive vaccines (OR = 0·77, 95% CI [0·66 − 0·90], p < .001).ConclusionThis study unveils gender differences in risk perception, health protective behaviors, vaccine hesitancy, and compliance with contact-tracing using a hypothetical viral pandemic. Gender-specific health education raising awareness of health protective behaviors may be beneficial to prevent future pandemics.

Gender and Public Perception of Disasters: A Multiple Hazards Exploratory Study of EU Citizens

Aim: To explore gender influence on individual risk perception of multiple hazards and personal attitudes towards disaster preparedness across EU citizens. Method: An online survey was distributed to 2485 participants from Spain, France, Poland, Sweden and Italy. The survey was divided into two parts. The first part examined perceived likelihood (L), perceived personal impact (I) and perceived self-efficacy (E) towards disasters due to extreme weather conditions (flood, landslide and storm), fire, earthquake, hazardous materials accidents, and terrorist attacks. The overall risk rating for each specific hazard was measured through the following equation R = (L × I)/E and the resulting scores were brought into the range between 0 and 1. The second part explored people’s reactions to the Pros and Cons of preparedness to compute the overall attitudes of respondents towards preparation (expressed as a ratio between −1 and 1). Results: Although we found gender variations on concerns expressed as the likelihood of the occurrence, personal consequences and self-efficacy, the overall risks were judged significantly higher by females in all hazards (p &lt; 0.01). We also found that, in general, most respondents (both males and females) were in favour of preparedness. More importantly, despite the gender differences in risk perception, there were no significant differences in the attitudes towards preparedness. We found weak correlations between risks perceived and attitudes towards preparedness (rho &lt; 0.20). The intersectional analysis showed that young and adult females perceived higher risks than their gender counterparts at the same age. There were also gender differences in preparedness, i.e., females in higher age ranges are more motivated for preparedness than men in lower age ranges. We also found that risk perception for all hazards in females was significantly higher than in males at the same education level. We found no significant differences between sub-groups in the pros and cons of getting ready for disasters. However, females at a higher level of education have more positive attitudes towards preparedness. Conclusions: This study suggests that gender along with other intersecting factors (e.g., age and education) still shape differences in risk perception and attitudes towards disasters across the EU population. Overall, the presented results policy actions focus on promoting specific DRR policies and practices (bottom-up participatory and learning processes) through interventions oriented to specific target groups from a gender perspective.

Gender Differences in Knowledge and Risk Perception towards HIV/AIDS among Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Background: Rohingyas living in refugee camps of Bangladesh have been identified as a high-risk group for HIV transmission. This study aimed to assess gender differences in risk perception towards HIV/AIDS among Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted to assess the level of risk perception towards HIV/AIDS. This analysis utilizes data from a survey of 130 Rohingya people through face-to-face interviews utilizing a 28-item HIV-Knowledge Questionnaire. A systematic sampling technique was used to accomplish data collection survey. Analyzing was done by SPSS 25. Results: Only 41.8% of males and 58.2% of females had a good knowledge score (8 out of 11 items) regarding the transmission of HIV. Knowledge is significantly associated with female gender (χ2 = 8.927, p &lt; 0.005). Gender differences were also significantly associated with the perceived risk of contracting HIV/AIDS in the future (p &lt; 0.001). When rank averages were investigated, perceived risk of contracting HIV/AIDS score of the female participants (mean rank = 76.71) appeared to be higher compared to the score of male participants (mean rank = 54.29). Conclusion: Female Rohingyas perceive a higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS than male Rohingyas. Programs should address harmful gender norms, HIV testing and education emphasizing the risks involved in transactional sex within the camps.

Women Tend to Perceive Greater Risks Associated With the COVID-19 Outbreak and Are More Likely to Follow Precautionary Measures

Abstract. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may have a different impact on men and women. Aim: This study aimed to investigate gender differences in risk perception, attitudes toward quarantine measures, and adoption of precautionary behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We employed a cross-sectional web-based survey design. The sample included 1,569 people living in Italy. The survey was conducted during the national lockdown in April 2020 when the Italian government extended the quarantine measures to the whole country. Results: Results showed that women reported higher scores on perceived severity, worry, precautionary behaviors, and attitudes toward quarantine restrictions. Gender differences in the perceived likelihood of infection with SARS-CoV-2 were not significant. Using mediation analysis, we found that the relationship between gender and precautionary behaviors was explained by attitudes toward quarantine restrictions, perceived severity, and worry. Limitations: The use of a cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Conclusion: Our results point to the need to develop and implement interventions that address (1) the higher levels of risk perception of the COVID-19 outbreak among women and (2) the lower scores on risk perception, attitudes toward quarantine restrictions, and adoption of precautionary behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic among men.

Interaction and decomposition of gender difference in financial risk perception

Previous literature suggests males tend to perceive lower risks than females. We revisit this gender difference by studying the interaction of gender with other observable characteristics in a survey of forecasting future stock prices. We find that some observable characteristics such as culture, age, and uncertainty of stock prices have a different effect on the risk perception between females and males. This additional source (“coefficient effects”) of gender difference is distinct from the differences in personal characteristics (“characteristics effects”). We disentangle these two sources of gender differences in risk perception by applying the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition technique. We find that characteristics effects and coefficient effects are both important, and the latter can be even more important than the former.

Gender Differences in Health Protective Behaviours During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Taiwan: A Multistage, Nationwide, Empirical Study

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection produces more severe symptoms and a higher mortality in men than in women. The role of biological sex in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is believed to explain this sex disparity. However, the contribution of gender factors that influence health protective behaviors and therefore health outcomes, remains poorly explored. Methods: We assessed the contributions of gender in attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic, using a hypothetical influenza pandemic data from the 2014 Taiwan Social Change Survey. Participants were selected through a stratified, three-stage probability proportional-to-size sampling from across the nation, to fill in questionnaires that asked about their perception of the hypothetical pandemic, and intention to adopt health protective behaviors. Results: A total of 1,990 participants (median age 45·92 years, 49% women) were included. Significant gender disparities (pConclusion: This study unveils gender differences in risk perception, health protective behaviors, vaccine hesitancy, and compliance with contact-tracing using a hypothetical viral pandemic. Gender-specific health education raising awareness of health protective behaviors may be beneficial to prevent future pandemics.Funding: None to declare. Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: The ethics committees/institutional review boards of the Academia Sinica, Taiwan approved this study and the consent procedure.

Examining gender issues in perception and acceptance in web-based end-user development activities

In the recent years in the End-User Development (EUD) research there is a shift from the study of tools that focus on desktop graphical applications, to the development of EUD for web environments. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research has shown significant gender differences while users interact with EUD systems. However, most of this research focuses on desktop spreadsheet environments. In this paper we examine the potential gender differences in perception and acceptance in modern web-based EUD environments. We step on previous gender research in the fields of EUD and Technology Acceptance to concentrate a set of appropriate items and examine a set of related hypotheses. To check out our research hypotheses we have conducted a field test using a prototype web-based EUD tool based on a natural language approach (named ‘simple talking’), to assist end-users in creating database-driven mobile applications. The results of the field test show significant gender differences in Risk-Perception and Perceived-Ease of Use. As it was predicted, male users perceived significantly higher ease of use and female users perceived significantly higher risk. Gender differences also exist in the correlations between different pairs of perception and acceptance items.

Impacts, Perceptions and Management of Climate-Related Risks to Cage Aquaculture in the Reservoirs of Northern Thailand.

Weather is suspected to influence fish growth and survival, and be a factor in mass mortality events in cage aquaculture in reservoirs. The purpose of this study was to identify the important climate-related risks faced by cage aquaculture farms; evaluate how these risks were currently being managed; and explore how farmers might adapt to the effects of climate change. Fish farmers were interviewed across the northern region of Thailand to get information on impacts, perceptions and practices. Drought or low water levels, heat waves, cold spells and periods with dense cloud cover, each caused significant financial losses. Perceptions of climate-related risks were consistent with experienced impacts. Risks are primarily managed in the short-term with techniques like aeration and reducing feed. In the mid-term farmers adjust stocking calendars, take financial measures and seek new information. Farmers also emphasize the importance of maintaining good relations with other stakeholders and reservoir management. Larger farms placed greater importance on risk management than small farms, even though types and levels of risk perceived were very similar. Most fish farms were managed by men alone, or men and women working together. Gender differences in risk perception were not detected, but women judged a few risk management practices as more important than men. Fish farmers perceived that climate is changing, but their perceptions werenot strongly associated with recently having suffered impacts from extreme weather. The findings of this study provide important inputs to improving risk management under current and future climate.

Gender Differences in Risk Perception of Trust and Bias in Cyberspace

Gender Differences in Risk Perception of Trust and Bias in Cyberspace

Fear of crime, gender differences in risk perception

One of the most consistent findings of the research into the phenomenon of fear of crime is that women express a higher degree of tear in comparison to men. The concept of vulnerability also designates gender as one of the most significant and stable predictors of fear of crime. Taking this as a starting point, a study was conducted in order to examine gender differences in fear of crime and test the theoretical claim that risk perception and the behavioural response to fear of crime are gender-differentiated and related to the level of fear. The analysis was based on the data obtained in the course of the regional research project 'Fear of Crime in Large Cities'. Using a specially designed questionnaire, the method of in-home interview was applied on a multistage random sample of 1959 adult respondents living in urban parts of the cities of former Yugoslav republics (Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Skopje). By choosing the appropriate questionnaire items, three scales for the measurement of fear of crime, the perception of victimization risk, and the behavioral response to the possibility of criminal victimization were produced/or the purposes of this paper. The results of the research confirm the existence of statistically significant gender differences in the sense that women show a significantly higher level of fear of crime than men, perceive the risk of victimization to a greater extent, and apply various measures of protection from crime more often. Furthermore, it has been determined that persons who exhibit a higher degree of fear of crime are also more acutely aware that they could become victims of crime and take various security measures more frequently in order to protect themselves from potential victimization.

Bicyclist Fatalities Involving Heavy Goods Vehicles: Gender Differences in Risk Perception, Behavioral Choices, and Training

Objectives: Females are typically involved in fewer collisions when pedal cycling than males. However, female cyclists appear to be overrepresented in the number of fatal collisions involving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). These collisions often involve cyclists passing HGVs on the side furthest from the HGV driver (nearside). It is hypothesized that this pattern of fatalities may be partly due to differences in how males and females perceive the risk associated with various cycling maneuvers. It is also hypothesized that this difference may be overcome with advanced training. Methods: 4,596 UK cyclists completed an online questionnaire in which they reported their level of cycle training and rated the risk they perceived to be associated with various cycling maneuvers, the likelihood that they would engage in them, and history of collision involvement. Results: Females perceived a slightly greater level of risk to be associated with cycling. However, males differentiated between the risks involved in nearside and offside overtaking to a greater extent than females. Risk perception was significantly correlated with the reported likelihood that participants would engage in risky maneuvers such as overtaking on the nearside and also with past collision prevalence. Advanced cycling training was correlated with higher levels of perceived risk associated with overtaking on the nearside; however, basic cycle training was not. Conclusions: Cyclists who do not correctly differentiate between the risks associated with nearside and offside overtaking may be more at risk of being involved in HGV-related collisions. Advanced cycling training is linked to more accurate risk perception. To reduce fatalities, public awareness campaigns should focus on the increased risk of nearside overtaking and encourage cyclists to take advanced training.

Travel and vaccination patterns: A report from a travel medicine clinic in northern Sweden

The Travel Medicine Clinic in Umeå is one of Sweden's largest public providers of vaccination and counselling prior to international travel. During the study period it was the only travel medicine clinic in Umeå. This study describes the demography of the visitors to the clinic and travel destinations and durations, as well as vaccinations administered. This was a retrospective study for the period January 2005 to April 2008 based on pre-travel consultation questionnaires and on vaccine expenditure data. A 10% sample of 16,735 first visits prior to international travel was consecutively selected according to the chronology of the visits. Data on 1698 travellers were included in the study. Thailand was the most common destination among visitors, accounting for one third of all destinations. Medical problems affecting pre-travel health planning were rare. Four out of 5 visitors (79%) received only 1 vaccination, mainly for hepatitis A. Travellers to Thailand more often sought travel health advice compared to travellers to Turkey, despite the fact that the 2 destinations were almost equally distributed among travellers from Umeå. We found differences between men and women in money spent on vaccines and in particular in vaccination against Japanese encephalitis. To assess the optimal vaccination level at a travel medicine clinic is difficult. Decisions are affected by general recommendations and the risk perception of the travel medicine practitioner, as well as the risk perception of the traveller. The sex difference found in this study might be due to gender differences in risk perception and should be further investigated.

Age and Gender Differences in Overtaking Maneuvers on Two-Lane Rural Highways

For decades researchers have been pointing out significant differences in the driving behavior between young and old and between male and female drivers. There are many studies concerning age and gender differences in risk perception, traffic accident involvement, traffic violations, alcohol consumption, and risky driving. However, little effort has been focused on studying the behavioral differences in overtaking maneuvers on two-lane highways. A considerable percentage of the fatal accidents on two-lane highways is directly related to overtaking maneuvers. Therefore, the main focus of this study is to understand better the overtaking behavior of different drivers classified by their age and gender. Data on the overtaking behavior of 100 drivers were collected with an interactive driving simulator. Several scenarios of two-lane rural highways with different geometric and traffic conditions were developed. The results show interesting and significant differences in the overtaking behavior of drivers depending on their age and gender. These differences are mainly in the frequency of overtaking maneuvers, overtaking time duration, following distances, critical overtaking gaps, and desired driving speeds. Geometric and traffic conditions were also found to have a significant impact on drivers’ overtaking behavior. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the overtaking behavior of different groups of drivers and thus have implications for road safety intervention programs and the development of effective risk reduction strategies adapted and targeted for different age and gender groups.

Gender, race, and perceived risk: The 'white male' effect

Risks tend to be judged lower by men than by women and by white people than by people of colour. Prior research by Flynn, Slovic and Mertz [Risk Analysis, 14, pp. 1101-1108] found that these race and gender differences in risk perception in the United States were primarily due to 30% of the white male population who judge risks to be extremely low. The specificity of this finding suggests an explanation in terms of sociopolitical factors rather than biological factors. The study reported here presents new data from a recent national survey conducted in the United States. Although white males again stood apart with respect to their judgements of risk and their attitudes concerning worldviews, trust, and risk-related stigma, the results showed that the distinction between white males and others is more complex than originally thought. Further investigation of sociopolitical factors in risk judgements is recommended to clarify gender and racial differences.

Gender Differences in Risk Perception: Theoretical and Methodological erspectives

A substantial body of risk research indicates that women and men differ in their perceptions of risk. This paper discusses how they differ and why. A review of a number of existing empirical studies of risk perception points at several problems, regarding what gender differences are found in such studies, and how these differences are accounted for. Firstly, quantitative approaches, which have so far dominated risk research, and qualitative approaches give different, sometimes even contradictory images of women's and men's perceptions of risk. Secondly, the gender differences that appear are often left unexplained, and even when explanations are suggested, these are seldom related to gender research and gender theory in any systematic way. This paper argues that a coherent, theoretically informed gender perspective on risk is needed to improve the understanding of women's and men's risk perceptions. An analysis of social theories of gender points out some relations and distinctions which should be considered in such a perspective. It is argued that gender structures, reflected in gendered ideology and gendered practice, give rise to systematic gender differences in the perception of risk. These gender differences may be of different kinds, and their investigation requires the use of qualitative as well as quantitative methods. In conclusion, the arguments about gender and risk perception are brought together in a theoretical model which might serve as a starting point for further research.

081015 (M10) Gender differences in risk perception: Effects differ in stressed vs non-stressed environments: Greenberg M.R., Schneider D.F.,Risk Analysis, Vol. 15, Number 4, 1995, pp. 503–511

081015 (M10) Gender differences in risk perception: Effects differ in stressed vs non-stressed environments: Greenberg M.R., Schneider D.F.,Risk Analysis, Vol. 15, Number 4, 1995, pp. 503–511

Gender differences in risk perception: effects differ in stressed vs. non-stressed environments.

Contrary to previous reports that women are more concerned about environmental risks than men, we hypothesized that men and women residing in neighborhoods stressed by multiple hazards would demonstrate similar concerns about local environmental conditions. Analysis of a national data base and an aggregate of ten local data bases found greater female than male concern about local technological, behavioral, and land use hazards in good neighborhoods, but, as expected, not in stressed ones. We urge analysts to conduct more studies in stressed neighborhoods in order to better understand the perspective of those who live with environmental risks.