National Culture and Individual Trading Behavior

We study the role of national culture in influencing the trading behavior of individuals. We achieve this by analyzing the trading patterns of participants trading in a simulated asset market where decision outcomes are framed in terms of both gains and losses, and under different externally imposed constraints. By analyzing the trading history of participants from 21 countries and territories, we show that an individual's cultural background significantly impacts how often they trade, the size of their trades and how long they keep their positions open in the market. Our results are robust when controlling for personal and social characteristics of the traders and for how rewards are offered to traders. Overall, our research shows how culture relates to trading behavior and has implications for the liquidity and risk profiles of exchanges around the world.