Household Portfolio Underdiversification and Probability Weighting: Evidence from the Field

A-Tier
Journal: The Review of Financial Studies
Year: 2021
Volume: 34
Issue: 9
Pages: 4524-4563

Authors (4)

Stephen G Dimmock (not in RePEc) Roy Kouwenberg (Mahidol University) Olivia S Mitchell (National Bureau of Economic Re...) Kim Peijnenburg (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We test whether probability weighting affects household portfolio choice in a representative survey. On average, people display inverse-S-shaped probability weighting, overweighting low probability events. As theory predicts, probability weighting is positively associated with portfolio underdiversification and significant Sharpe ratio losses. Analyzing respondents’ individual stock holdings, we find higher probability weighting is associated with owning lottery-type stocks and positively skewed equity portfolios. People with higher probability weighting are less likely to own mutual funds and more likely to either avoid equities or hold individual stocks. We are the first to empirically link individuals’ elicited probability weighting and real-world decisions under risk.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:rfinst:v:34:y:2021:i:9:p:4524-4563.
Journal Field
Finance
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25