Motivating Financially Literate Behavior.

Financial literacy is as much about consumer behavior as it is about knowledge. Research has demonstrated that many consumers may know how to make financially sound decisions, but instead choose otherwise. In this research, two popular motivation theories, expectancy theory and operant conditioning, are utilized to gain insight into a consumer's decision to make sound financial choices. Findings indicate that consumers value investment over consumption when they understand the investment and the opportunity it provides. In addition, efforts to increase awareness of the potential benefits and consequences can further motivate consumers to engage in financially literate behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]