PROSPECT THEORY

A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Authors

  • Luciane Albuquerque Sá de Souza Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação - Universidade do Porto
  • Samuel Lincoln Bezerra Lins Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6824-4691

Abstract

Prospect Theory seeks to explain cognitive biases that occur in the decision process, via observation of systematic behaviors. This study analyzed the cognitive biases of loss aversion and optimism bias in Brazilian and Portuguese university students. A descriptive/exploratory research was carried out, with online data collection (Survey Monkey); 400 respondents (209 Brazilians and 191 Portuguese) participated, who answered the questionnaire composed of sociodemographic questions and two pairs of situations that required a decision. As for the loss aversion bias, only Portuguese university students are in the domain of gains; as for the bias of optimism, Brazilian and Portuguese university students are in the domain of losses, corroborating the Prospect Theory. The study expanded the understanding of the behavior of university students (Brazilian and Portuguese), considering cross-cultural differences and variables that may influence the evaluation, judgment and decision-making process, leading them to commit serious errors.

Published

02/06/23