Experimental Research Programme to Design Effective Financial Education

Abstract

The program aims to conduct research to understand the manner in which financial education, attitudes, behavioral biases, design and communication of financial products and services and financial advice influence the financial behavior of individuals and households, in order to provide recommendations to design effective financial education programs that result in behavioral change, enabling individuals to build and preserve assets. The experimental research will entail offering a suitable financial product to the experimental group, providing financial education and advice of varying levels (treatments) over different stages and then tracking their decision related to the product vis a vis a control group. The findings of the study will be disseminated through two workshops and research papers and they are expected to be applicable to countries that closely resemble the socio-cultural and economic background of Indian households.