Retail investors want to invest sustainably, but do not yet trust the new segments enough. Where are the opportunities, where are the obstacles? This is what the rheingold institute researched in cooperation with Union Investment.
Sustainability - that sounds good and sensible at first, but often triggers feelings of guilt and fear in people. "To avoid these reactions, advertisers should be aware of the psychological defense mechanisms and actively counteract them," says psychologist Johannes Dorn, who conducted a depth psychology study on the topic of "sustainability and financial investments" for Union Investment with the rheingold institute. The psychologist says that the magic of increasing money involves a certain abstraction, which is virtually demystified by sustainability. While the growth of the financial investment provides satisfaction, the thought of sustainability gives rise to feelings of renunciation and guilt about the negative consequences of growth.
But these mental barriers can be overcome, for example by conveying the feeling of self-efficacy, of doing something for a future worth living through one's financial investment and at the same time making a profit from it. "Sustainable products can thus offer emotional relief, counteracting powerlessness," explains Dorn. Even if every industry has its own rules, certain motives are certainly transferable.
On this topic, the rheingold institute hosted a webinar to present the study.
Uwe Hambrock, graduate psychologist, has been working successfully for rheingold institut since 2007. As senior project manager and part of the quantitative research team, his main areas of expertise are food, retail and financial services.
Tel.: +49 221-912 777-97
E-mail: hambrock@rheingold-online.de
Johannes Dorn is a graduate psychologist and member of the management board at rheingold institut. He is an expert in food and beverages, and his scientific focus continues to be on the areas of brand positioning, product presentation, and research in employer branding.
Tel.: +49 221-912 777-62
E-mail: dorn@rheingold-online.de
Anna Brand is a business psychologist and worked as a freelancer before joining rheingold as a project manager in 2020. With her expertise, she supports qualitative and quantitative research studies as well as in the field of UX research.
E-mail: brand@rheingold-online.de
