Project description
Seeing yourself as a senior citizen
Once the cool stuff of science-fiction movies, augmented reality (AR) is a tool used by pension funds and policymakers to increase public awareness about pensions. The aim is to strengthen the financial well-being and outcomes for older adults through the stimulation of the imagery of the future self in pension plan consumers. The EU-funded AUGMENTPENSION project will investigate the impact of AR on the imagery of the future self and the downstream effects on pension awareness and engagement to understand how to improve pension communication with AR. The project will apply findings from recent AR research in consumer behaviour and laboratory studies with field evidence from one of the world's largest pension providers.
Objective
Elderly poverty is a prominent problem, and financial well-being in elderly is often considered low. A common cause for elderly poverty is a lack of sufficient pension awareness and engagement, especially at a young age. Independent of the pension scheme in a particular country, pension funds and policymakers around the world struggle to increase the engagement of pension plan consumers that would affect a consumer's future financial well-being positively. An often-proposed intervention to overcome the present bias that leads to not engaging with pension communications is to stimulate the imagery of the future self in pension plan consumers. Yet, current pension communications fall behind expectations in stimulating imagery of the future self and thus fail to improve pension awareness and engagement. In light of recent evidence on a new technology coined Augmented Reality (AR), this project proposes an experimental approach to investigate the impact of AR on the imagery of the future self and the downstream effects on pension awareness and engagement. Building on a series of laboratory, online, and field experiments, I apply findings from recent AR research in consumer behavior to find evidence and theoretically explain the effects AR can have on pension awareness and engagement. Combining findings from laboratory studies with field-evidence from the world’s third largest pension provider (APG) will shine light on how to improve pension communication with AR to improve future financial well-being. The proposed results are societally relevant as they can help to promote pension engagement that results in future financial well-being. My strong background in experimental consumer behavior research with a focus on AR technology and consumer engagement, combined with my supervisor’s expertise in pension and financial well-being research, and the strong research and training environment at Maastricht University (UM) will guarantee a successful project completion.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6200 MD Maastricht
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.