University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The effect of the specificity of the risk disclosure language on investors' risk and credibility judgments

Arikan, Ozlem

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Arikan_Ozlem.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/34569

Description

Title
The effect of the specificity of the risk disclosure language on investors' risk and credibility judgments
Author(s)
Arikan, Ozlem
Issue Date
2012-09-18T21:26:01Z
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Jackson, Kevin E.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Jackson, Kevin E.
Committee Member(s)
  • Hobson, Jessen L.
  • Shavitt, Sharon
  • Smith, Steven
Department of Study
Accountancy
Discipline
Accountancy
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2012-09-18T21:26:01Z
Keyword(s)
  • Risk disclosure
  • nonprofessional investors
  • judgment and decision making
  • risk judgments
  • credibility judgments
  • narrative disclosures
Abstract
Companies use different formats in their risk disclosures in their annual and quarterly reports, as well as in their prospectuses. Some companies specifically disclose the nature of their risks by identifying the parties or circumstances that comprise the source of risk. Conversely, other companies use more generic language to convey risk. I predict and find that investors perceive risk to be more likely to adversely affect a company when it is disclosed in a more specific way rather than in a less specific way. However, I also predict and find that when investors have some prior knowledge about the risk, this effect is mitigated. Finally, after the risk is realized, I find that investors have lower credibility judgments for managers who use less specific language in their risk disclosures than ones who use more specific language when they are aware of another level of specificity. I also find some evidence that participants infer that managers are signaling the importance or triviality of a risk factor through the choice of disclosure specificity. This study contributes to our understanding of how investors react to different disclosure formats and highlights to the preparers of accounting disclosures the importance of their choice of specificity levels, and also has important implications for regulators.
Graduation Semester
2012-08
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/34569
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2012 Ozlem Arikan

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