Descripción del proyecto
Un lenguaje claro para la alfabetización financiera
En el mundo actual, dado que la tarea de tomar decisiones financieras se ha transferido de las instituciones a los individuos, ha aumentado entre ellos la necesidad de alfabetización financiera, es decir de ser capaces de comprender la información financiera correctamente. La Unión Europea ha reconocido que se trata de un problema, por lo que se han considerado muchos métodos, y uno de ellos es el uso del lenguaje claro y de textos claros. Por desgracia, este método no ha tenido resultados consistentes y faltan pruebas empíricas sobre si resultará útil. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos PLanTra abordará esta cuestión investigando el impacto de la formación sobre el lenguaje claro en los estudiantes de administración de empresas y la comprensibilidad de los textos.
Objetivo
With the responsibility for financial decisions shifting from institutions to individuals, the ability to understand financial information (known as ‘financial literacy’) is paramount. Having reduced financial literacy results in higher risk of over-indebtedness, and in reduced ability to manage one’s wealth. Text simplification, involving the use of plain language, is one of the strategies adopted to meet the needs of low-literacy readers. The comprehensibility of financial texts has received attention at the European level. An action plan developed as part of the EU policy on consumer financial services lists opaque terms and conditions among the concerns raised by customers when conducting cross-border shopping. Despite plain language efforts, the comprehensibility of financial content has not been increasing consistently. Scholars have therefore emphasised the need to train business (communication) students in text simplification and provided resources to that end. There is, however, lack of empirical evidence on the benefits (or lack thereof) of plain language training. This project aims to address this research gap by investigating the impact of plain language training on: (i) how financial texts are simplified by business students; and (ii) the resulting comprehensibility of simplified financial texts among lay readers with different levels of financial literacy. To do so, I will conduct two experimental studies. For the first study, focusing on the simplification process, I will use keystroke logging, retrospective interviews, and screen recording. For the second study, dealing with the comprehensibility of financial content, I will use multiple-choice questions. This project can identify simplification-oriented revisions that are implemented by business students and that are beneficial for comprehension of financial content. Ultimately, these findings can guide financial institutions in their efforts to meet the needs of readers with low financial literacy.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinador
2000 Antwerpen
Bélgica