Framing effect and disposition effect: investment decisions tools to understand bounded rationality

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the development of investment decision tools by understanding the rationality behind the disposition effect. We suspect that not all disposition decisions are irrational. The decisions should be evaluated based on the bounded rationality of the individuals’ target and tolerance level, which is not covered in previous literature. Adding the context of individual preference (target and tolerance) in their decision could improve the classic measurement of disposition effect.

Design/methodology/approach

The laboratory web experiment is prepared to collect the responses in holding and selling the stocks within 14 days. Two groups of Gen Z investors are observed. The control group makes a decision based on their judgment without any system recommendation. In contrast, the second group gets help inputting their target and tolerance. Furthermore, the framing effect is also applied as a reminder of their target and tolerance to induce more holding decisions on gain but selling on loss.

Findings

The framing effect is adequate to mitigate the disposition effect but only at the early day of observation. Bounded rationality explains the rationality of liquidating the gain because the participants have reached their goal. The framing effect is not moderated by days to affect the disposition effect; over time, the disposition effect tends to be higher. A new measurement of the disposition effect in the context of bounded rationality is better than the original disposition effect coefficient.

Practical implications

Gen Z investors need a system aid to help their investment decisions set their target and tolerance to mitigate the disposition effect. Investment firms can make a premium feature based on real-time market data for investors to manage their assets rationally in the long run. Bounded rationality theory offers more flexibility in understanding the gap between profit maximization and irrational decisions in behavioral finance. The government can use this finding to develop a suitable policy and ecosystem to help beginner investors understand investment risk and manage their assets based on subjective risk tolerance.

Originality/value

The classic Proportion Gain Realized (PGR) and Proportion Loss Realized (PLR) measurements cannot accommodate several contexts of users’ targets and tolerance in their choices, which we argue need to be re-evaluated with bounded rationality. Therefore, this article proposed new measurements that account for the users’ target and tolerance level to evaluate the rationality of their decision.