Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Psychology and Social Science
RAS ID
12981
Abstract
The need for Australians to increase retirement savings has been widely promoted. Yet our understanding of the motivations of individuals to save at a higher rate remains sparse. This article reports the findings of a survey of superannuation fund members and their intentions to contribute more to superannuation and to manage their investment strategy. The article uses the theory of planned behaviour to focus on the important motivational influence of social norms. Formative research identified a number of influential social referents. Among identified referents, the study found that spouses appear to be the primary source of social influence for retirement savings decisions. The government and employers appear to exert little influence, and financial advisors and superannuation funds take up the middle ground of social influence. Possibilities for interventions designed to influence behaviour are discussed; however, conclusions are tempered by the fact that correspondence between intention and behaviour is not tested in the present research.
DOI
10.1111/j.1742-9536.2011.00029.x
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article:Croy, P. G., Gerrans, P. A., & Speelman, C. P. (2011). Normative influence on retirement savings decisions: Do people care what employers and the government want?. Australian Journal of Psychology, 64(2) p. 83-91. , which has been published in final form here. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.