While finances are known to be a source of uncertainty for couples (Knobloch, 2008), the specific sources of financial ambiguity and the ways in which they are appraised and negotiated have not been explored. Framed by the lens of Uncertainty Management Theory (UMT; Brashers, 2001), the current study used face-to-face, semi-structured interviews of 40 diverse participants in married or cohabiting relationships to provide new insight into uncertainty management. The investigation uncovered the types of uncertainty experienced by participants (economic, personal, family, communication, and chronic), the ways in which people managed uncertainty (reducing, maintaining, and adapting to it through a variety of practical strategies), and barriers to uncertainty management (information, time management, sociocultural, and communication obstacles), shedding light on why people are (not) successful in managing their finances. Consistent with the tenets of UMT (Brashers, 2001), communication (or lack thereof) was critical to the process of uncertainty management, particularly with respect to reducing and maintaining uncertainty. However, this study uniquely found that collective negotiation of financial uncertainty was particularly salient. In many ways, financial uncertainty management can be conceptualized as a joint enterprise. Just as individuals negotiate uncertainty by seeking information through computer-mediated communication (e.g., the internet), mass media (e.g., magazines), and external interpersonal sources (e.g., financial advisors), this investigation found that people frequently negotiated their uncertainty with their romantic partner through communal coping. This study provides important insight into the ways in which financial uncertainty can influence people's communication, behavior, and relationships and proposes extending the theory to take into account the role that dyads, culture, and individual factors can play in shaping uncertainty management. / text

Doctor of Philosophy / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Sonya L. Lutter / Stuart J. Heckman / College is a time when many young adults are beginning to make financial decisions on their own. The financial behaviors they engage in can have effects on their academic success, life satisfaction, relationship quality, physical and mental well-being, and financial well-being. This dissertation examined the direct and indirect relationships between financial socialization, financial knowledge, financial self-efficacy, and financial behaviors in college students using data from the 2014 National Student Financial Wellness Study (NSFWS). The sample consisted of 12,598 college students from 52 college institutions. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted with the tested model guided by Gudmunson and Danes’ (2014) Family Financial Socialization (FFS) conceptual framework. Results revealed financial socialization has a direct influence on financial knowledge, financial self-efficacy, and financial behaviors. An indirect association between financial socialization and financial behaviors through its association with financial self-efficacy was also found. Alternative models discovered neither parental financial socialization nor formal financial education alone impacted financial knowledge, but when combined, their influence became significant, suggesting a possible interaction effect between formal financial education and parental financial socialization. Objective financial knowledge was not found to influence financial self-efficacy or financial behaviors in college students. Results showed financial self-efficacy to be the strongest predictor of students engaging in positive financial behaviors. A one standard deviation increase in financial self-efficacy was associated with a 90% increase in the standard deviation of financial behavior. This study provides support and implications for the FFS conceptual framework. Financial counselors, advisors, and therapists can use these findings to educate their clients on the importance of financial socialization of their children. Furthermore, results reinforce the need for mandatory formal financial education and infer the importance of parents and educators working together to cultivate financial knowledge in children.

Using data collected from undergraduate students attending a southeastern United States University, the current dissertation includes two manuscripts examining the relationships between personal characteristics, financial socialization, financial capability and financial well-being among college students. These relationships were also compared between a focal group of students identifying as minority, low-income, and first-generation students to a comparison group not identifying as minority, low-income, or first-generation students. The first study used structural equation modeling to explore the relationships between personal characteristics (i.e., attachment, locus of control, and self-esteem), financial socialization, and the four dimensions of financial capability (financial knowledge, access to financial resources, attitudes, and actions). Findings suggest financial socialization partially mediated the relationships between personal characteristics and financial attitudes and financial actions. These findings suggest that parents continue to play a role in the development of financial attitudes and behaviors of college students. The second study used regression analysis to examine how financial knowledge and skills (i.e., applied knowledge), materialistic attitudes, compulsive spending behaviors, and access to financial resources (i.e., number of bank accounts, credit cards, and alternative financial services) are related to students’ financial well-being. Findings suggest greater financial skills and less materialistic views are related to greater financial well-being. However, among those not identifying as minority, low-income, or first-generation college students less compulsive spending behaviors and greater credit card use were positively related to financial well-being; among minority, low-income, or first generation college students, alternative financial services usage was related negatively to financial well-being.

Researchers agree that Puerto Ricans lack basic financial knowledge that would allow them to participate in the financial system actively. However, the literature did not provide any data about the knowledge transmission practices that Puerto Ricans use to gather and transmit financial knowledge. As a result, there was a limited understanding of the social learning processes used by Puerto Rican college students to make financial decisions. Using consumer socialization and family financial socialization models as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to identify the information sources that Puerto Ricans use to gather financial knowledge. A sample of 198 Puerto Rican college students answered a portion of the College Student Financial Literacy Survey. The research questions examined the preference of 4 financial information sources, their level of influence, and the impact of exposure frequency of these socialization agents. Descriptive statistics showed that participants preferred to gather financial knowledge from parents. A combination of one-way ANOVA and RMANOVA confirmed that parents also had the highest level of influence. The results of a multiple linear regression test suggested that the frequency of exposure did not predict the financial knowledge of students in the sample. The outcomes of this study may be helpful in optimizing the communication vehicles used to transmit financial knowledge to the public. Researchers, educators, and policymakers may also use this study as foundation for the development of effective financial education strategies that will promote positive social change in Puerto Rico.

Previous research has found that family socialization influences financial giving behaviors and that financial giving predicts personal wellbeing. However, little research since the early 1980s has explored this phenomenon, and virtually none of the research has been qualitative in nature. As part of the Whats and Hows of Family Financial $ocialization project, this study employs a diverse, multi-site, multigenerational sample (N = 115) to qualitatively explore the following research question: how do children learn about financial giving from their parents? In other words, how is financial giving transmitted across generations? From interviews of emerging adults and their parents and grandparents, three core themes emerged: "Charitable Donations," "Acts of Kindness," and "Investments in Family." Various topics, processes, methods, and meanings involved in this socialization are presented, along with implications and potential directions for future research.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / Viewership of reality television has been indicated to influence behaviors among individuals and groups, as existing literature has linked reality television viewership to an increase in the likelihood of demonstrating other non-financial behaviors. The literature notes increases in risky sexual and dating behavior, increases in tobacco, drug, and alcohol use, and increases in violent behavior. This dissertation examined the perceptions of the influence of reality television on financial behavior. Situational reality television programming was found to have the greatest influence on the financial behaviors of college students. Ten college students were interviewed using a phenomenological qualitative approach. There were four primary findings from this study. The first was that reality television has the ability to inform the financial behavior of college students. Second, an individual’s connection to his or her social system has an influence on financial behavior. Third, reality television does have the ability to influence financial behavior change and fourth, reality television influences the meaning of money as perceived by the respondents. The results of this study provide valuable information to promote further inquiry as to how reality television and other forms of media influence financial behavior.

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Titel: Att spara eller inte spara? - En studie om universitetsstudenters sparande och vad som påverkar sparbeteendet Författare: Edvin Pettersson och Sandra Trinh Handledare: Camilla Strömbäck Bakgrund: Enligt livscykelhypotesen är det irrationellt för studenter att spara pengar. Däremot utifrån ett riskhanteringsperspektiv finns det anledningar till att spara vilket inte överensstämmer med livscykelhypotesen. Utöver denna diskrepans har tidigare forskning visat att det finns flera faktorer som kan påverka en individs sparande. Dock har tidigare forskning ofta varit kvantitativ och enbart fokuserat på hur en faktor påverkar sparande men inte om faktorerna påverkar varandra eller givit en bred bild över området. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka svenska universitetsstudenters sparande och behovet av det utifrån ett riskhanteringsperspektiv, samt identifiera, analysera och systematisera vilka faktorer som påverkar sparandet. Genomförande: För att besvara studiens syfte har en kvalitativ metod använts där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med tio svenska universitetsstudenter. Utifrån tidigare forskning uppmärksammades fem faktorer som påverkar sparande. Dessa faktorer låg sedan till grund för intervjuguiden och analysmodellen som skapades. Slutsats: Utifrån ett riskhanteringsperspektiv är det rationellt för svenska universitetsstudenter att spara. Det har gjort att de kan hantera likviditetskriser samt bygga upp ett eget kapital för att kunna ta lån i framtiden. Mental bokföring och finansiell bildning har gjort det enklare för studenterna att hantera sina självkontrollsproblem vilket har möjliggjort att de kan spara. / Title: To save or not to save? - A study about university students’ saving and what affects the saving behavior Authors: Edvin Pettersson and Sandra Trinh Supervisor: Camilla Strömbäck Background: According to the life cycle hypothesis, it is irrational for university students to save money. However, it might be necessary for university students to have a savings buffer to be able to manage liquidity risks and to afford more expensive purchases. Previous research has shown that there are several factors that affect a person’s saving behavior, but it has yet to investigate how different factors work together to affect the saving behavior. Aim: The aim of this study is to examine Swedish university students’ savings and the need for from a risk management perspective, as well as identify, analyze, and systematize which factors affect the saving behavior. Completion: To answer the research questions we have completed semi-structural interviews with ten Swedish university students. This study has used a qualitative method to be able to examine how students reflect on the needs to have savings and to identify if different factors work together to affect the university students’ saving behavior. From previous research we have identified five factors that affect a person’s saving behavior and these factors have been the basis for the creation of the interview guide and the model of analysis. Conclusion: From a risk management perspective it is rational for Swedish university students to save money to be able to manage their liquidity risks and build up their equity to enable loans in the future. Both mental accounting and financial literacy have been helpful for the students to practice self-control, which has made it possible for the students to save money.