Financial behavior between male and female: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Finance is an essential aspect of existence. Handling it is reflected in one’s financial behavior.  Poor financial decisions have consequences, therefore it's critical for people of both genders, men and women, to be financially informed in making financial decisions. A synthesis of the differences in financial behavior between men and women is the aim of this systematic literature review. Twenty-seven papers (27) published papers between 2014 and 2024 were extracted from the database using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) framework. The findings showed that, in comparison to women, men are more financially knowledgeable; they have a greater risk appetite than women, which allows then to take advantage of financial products and services. Contrarily, females with their risk aversion attitude, leaves them financially susceptible because it prevents them from taking advantage of financial products and services like optimizing the potential for money growth. In terms of spending, women are more conservative, and are price sensitive than men. The findings also indicates that women are more vulnerable to financial misconduct; yet, financial literacy will mitigate this risk. Therefore, programs for gender-sensitive financial education should be taken into consideration to close the gap in financial literacy and give women more power in making financial decisions. With this, it would promote financial inclusion and aid in the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 and 10 or Gender Equality and Reduce inequalities respectively. Future studies may focus on how financial technology affects gendered financial behavior to promote more equal economic outcomes.