Examining the Impact of Future Time Orientation on Financial Wellbeing Among Retail Investors: The Mediating Role of Overconfidence

Authors

  • Imtiaz Khan PhD Scholar, National Business School, The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad
  • Usman Ali Assistant Professor, National Business School, The University of Faisalabad
  • Muhammad Ashfaq Professor, National Business School, The University of Faisalabad
  • Muhammad Saeed Ahmad Assistant Professor, National Business School, The University of Faisalabad

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54938/ijemdss.2026.05.2.714

Keywords:

Future time orientation, Overconfidence, Financial wellbeing, Mediation, Retail investors, Pakistan

Abstract

The study examines future time orientation (FTO) influence on financial wellbeing (FWB) of individual retail investor and mediation of overconfidence (OC). Based on Self-Determination Theory, this study suggests that future time orientation influences financial wellbeing through a psychological pathway in which overconfidence plays a complementary mediating role. The study collected valid responses of 436 individual investors in Pakistan and using cross-section questionnaires distributed online through convenience sampling. The validated measurement scales of six-item FTO from Kiani et al. (2020), seven-item OC from Budiman et al. (2025) and CFPB financial wellbeing scale of ten-items adopted from Lee et al. (2020) were used in this study. The hypothesized relationships were supported by the results of the bootstrapping analysis. Individuals with higher future time orientation perform better when it comes to finances and have greater financial resilience. However, some of those positive effects are diverted by overconfidence, which leads to greater financial risk-taking of investors. The reason behind is that these individual investors determination take a risk. The findings are a useful addition to the growing literature in the field of behavioural finance. These results have practical important implications for practitioners, such as financial advisors, policy makers, individual investors and educators. These actors may seek to promote long-term financial wellbeing through improvements in future orientation and reductions in cognitive biases.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmad, M., & Shah, S. Z. A. (2022). Overconfidence heuristic-driven bias in investment decision-making and performance: Mediating effects of risk perception and moderating effects of financial literacy. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 38(1), 60–90.

Aydemir Dev, M., Barca, O., Bayram Arlı, N., & Gürsakal, S. (2025). Examining the financial well-being in challenging economic conditions: Structural equation modeling evidence from Türkiye. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 256.

Barber, B. M., & Odean, T. (2001). Boys will be boys: Gender, overconfidence, and common stock investment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(1), 261–292.

Brüggen, E. C., Hogreve, J., Holmlund, M., Kabadayi, S., & Löfgren, M. (2017). Financial well-being: A conceptualization and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 79, 228–237.

Chaudhary, M. K., Adhikari, M., & Oli, S. (2026). Financial independence and psychological well-being among emerging adults: The mediating role of future orientation in an emerging economy. Shahid Kirti Multidisciplinary Journal, 4, 30–52.

Choowan, P., Daovisan, H., & Suwanwong, C. (2024). Effects of financial literacy and financial behavior on financial well-being: Meta-analytical review of experimental studies. International Journal of Financial Studies, 13(1), 1.

Coscioni, V., Oliveira, I. M., Teixeira, M. A. P., & Paixão, M. P. (2024). Future Time Orientation Scale: A new measure to assess the psychological future. Current Psychology, 43(12), 10703–10720.

Costa, D. F., de Melo Carvalho, F., de Melo Moreira, B. C., & do Prado, J. W. (2017). Bibliometric analysis on the association between behavioral finance and decision making with cognitive biases such as overconfidence, anchoring effect and confirmation bias. Scientometrics, 111(3), 1775–1799.

Charkhestani, A., & Esfahanipour, A. (2026). Behaviorally informed deep reinforcement learning for portfolio optimization with loss aversion and overconfidence. Scientific Reports, 16, 6443.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory. Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology, 1(20), 416–436.

Dhandapani, D. B., & Kathiravan, C. (2026). The impact of behavioural determinants on investment decisions with evidence from meta analysis and meta structural equation modelling. Discover Sustainability.

du Plessis, E., et al. (2024). Psychological needs satisfaction and financial wellbeing: The role of perceived control and self-regulation. Journal of Consumer Affairs.

Fan, L., & Henager, R. (2022). A structural determinants framework for financial well-being. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 43(2), 415–428.

Geraldes, H. S. A., Gama, A. P. M., & Augusto, M. (2026). Financial well-being: A combined analysis of objective and subjective factors and institutional context. International Journal of Finance & Economics, 31(2), 2593–2620.

Garg, N., Priyadarshi, P., & Malik, A. (2024). Financial well-being: An integrated framework, operationalization, and future research agenda. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 23(6), 3194–3212.

Glaser, M., & Weber, M. (2007). Overconfidence and trading volume. The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, 32(1), 1–36.

Geraldes, H. S. A., Gama, A. P. M., & Augusto, M. (2026). Financial well-being: A combined analysis of objective and subjective factors and institutional context. International Journal of Finance & Economics, 31(2), 2593–2620.

Lučić, A., Ježovit, M., & Erceg, N. (2026). Time will tell—A longitudinal study of consideration of future consequences and financial behavior in young adults. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 60(2), e70048.

Hayes, A. F. (2013). Mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis. Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach, 1(6), 12–20.

Hayes, A. F., Allison, P. D., & Alexander, S. M. (2025). Errors-in-variables regression as a viable approach to mediation analysis with random error-tainted measurements: Estimation, effectiveness, and an easy-to-use implementation. Behavior Research Methods, 57(12), 1–22.

Hernandez-Perez, J., & Cruz Rambaud, S. (2025). Uncovering the factors of financial well-being: The role of self-control, self-efficacy, and financial hardship. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 70.

Hernandez-Perez, J., et al. (2025). Financial resilience, self-control, and wellbeing during economic adversity. International Journal of Consumer Studies.

Hwang, H., & Park, H. I. (2023). The relationships of financial literacy with both financial behavior and financial well-being: Meta-analyses based on the selective literature review. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 57(1), 222–244.

Hemrajani, P., Rajni, & Dhiman, R. (2024). Retail investors' financial risk tolerance and risk-taking behaviour: The role of psychological factors. FIIB Business Review, 13(1), 87–105.

Hitsuwari, J., & Kumagai, M. (2025). Long-term investors with enhanced well-being? Comparing personality traits by investment assets. Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, 18(1–2), 45.

Inghelbrecht, K., & Tedde, V. (2024). Overconfidence and retail investor behavior: Evidence from financial decision-making research. Journal of Behavioral Finance.

Inghelbrecht, K., & Tedde, M. (2024). Overconfidence, financial literacy and excessive trading. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 219, 152–195.

Izah, S. C., Sylva, L., & Hait, M. (2023). Cronbach's alpha: A cornerstone in ensuring reliability and validity in environmental health assessment. ES Energy and Environment, 23, 1057.

Kaur, G., & Singh, M. (2024). Pathways to individual financial well-being: Conceptual framework and future research agenda. FIIB Business Review, 13(1), 27–41.

Krishnamurthy, A. (2024). Beyond rationality: Uncovering the impact of investor behavior on financial markets. Deep Learning Tools for Predicting Stock Market Movements, 409–427.

Kumar, J., & Ahuja, A. (2024). Financial inclusion: Key determinants and its impact on financial well-being. Global Business and Economics Review, 31(3), 330–353.

Li, Q. (2024). Managerial overconfidence and decision-making: The US evidence.

Lim, S., et al. (2026). Future orientation, financial confidence, and long-term financial wellbeing among retail investors. Journal of Consumer Affairs.

Liou, S., & Morgan, C. A. (2026). Curiosity as a key pathway linking future time perspective to earlier financial preparation timing. Societies, 16(5), 157.

Luo, Y., & Day, M. J. (2026). Determinants of lecturer readiness to adopt generative AI in higher education: Survey evidence from UTAUT and self-determination theory. Education and Information Technologies, 1–32.

Mahendru, M., & Mathew, A. (2024). Psychological determinants of financial wellbeing: A systematic review. Review of Behavioral Finance.

Malik, M. I., Rana, S., & Shafi, F. (2026). The psychology of green investments: Underpinning personality traits and future time orientation. Vision. Advance online publication.

Mathew, V., PK, S. K., & Sanjeev, M. A. (2024). Financial well-being and its psychological determinants—An emerging country perspective. FIIB Business Review, 13(1), 42–55.

Martin, G. P., Wiseman, R. M., & Gomez-Mejia, L. R. (2016). Going short-term or long-term? CEO stock options and temporal orientation in the presence of slack. Strategic Management Journal, 37(12), 2463–2480.

Miccoli, M. R., Shevchenko, Y., Iannello, P., & Reips, U. D. (2025). Factors shaping subjective financial well-being in emerging adults: A comparative study of Italy and Germany. PloS One, 20(4), e0320725.

Modica, M., & Rampa, A. (2026). Social acceptance of renewable energy technologies: A multidisciplinary approach. The role of contextual and psychological factors in promoting justice and equity. In The Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Projects (pp. 29–49). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Naisby, A. (2026). The present bias trap: Factors that drive time-inconsistent financial behavior. Journal of Financial Planning, 39(2), 22–28.

Nahidi, N. (2026). Behavioral biases in investment decisions. In AI, FinTech, and the Future of Robo-Advisory: Risk Management and Ethical Considerations (pp. 49–74). Springer Nature Switzerland.

Netemeyer, R. G., Warmath, D., Fernandes, D., & Lynch, J. G., Jr. (2018). How am I doing? Perceived financial well-being, its potential antecedents, and its relation to overall well-being. Journal of Consumer Research, 45(1), 68–89.

Nijanandi, D., & Tiwari, B. K. (2026). Neural and structural pathways to financial well-being: Dual-staged SEM–ANN analysis of financial risk tolerance and internal locus as mediators. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 31(1), 4.

Nga, J. K. H., & Kesumo, A. (2025). Does shared prosperity affect perceived financial well-being among individual consumers? Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 17(5), 1316–1339.

Odean, T. (1998). Volume, volatility, price, and profit when all traders are above average. The Journal of Finance, 53(6), 1887–1934.

Padmavathy, M. (2024). Behavioral finance and stock market anomalies: Exploring psychological factors influencing investment decisions. Shanlax International Journal of Management, 11(S1), 191–197.

Rahmah, R., Disman, H., Purnamasari, I., & Kurnianingrum, D. (2026). Behavioral biases on investment decisions: Moderated moderation by long-term orientation and by gender. Global Business & Finance Review, 31(1), 17.

Reddy, K., Babu, D. R., Subramanyam, M., & Kumar, S. (2025). Cognitive biases and investor behavior: A behavioral finance perspective on stock market investment decisions. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 11(3), 1–8.

Riitsalu, L., & van Raaij, F. (2020). Self-control, future time perspective and savings–The keys to perceived financial well-being. Think Forward Initiative Technical Report.

Sabia, L., Bell, R., Bozward, D., & Maas, G. (2025). Not just for the money: An application of the Self-Determination Theory to decode investment decision-making in equity crowdfunding. Venture Capital, 1–22.

Sajid, M., Mushtaq, R., Murtaza, G., Yahiaoui, D., & Pereira, V. (2024). Financial literacy, confidence and well-being: The mediating role of financial behavior. Journal of Business Research, 182, 114791.

Sajid, M., et al. (2024). Financial confidence and financial wellbeing: The mediating role of financial behavior. International Journal of Bank Marketing.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2011). Research Methods for Business Students (4th edn.

Sehrawat, K., Vij, M., & Talan, G. (2021). Understanding the path toward financial well-being: Evidence from India. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 638408.

Sharma, V., Kumar, R., Kaur, M., & Jain, J. (2026). Shaping financial well-being through digital financial literacy: Do financial self-efficacy and personal financial management behavior mediate the relationship? Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 31(2), 32.

She, L., Ray, A., & Ma, L. (2023). Future time perspective and consumer well-being of millennials: Implications for consumer resilience. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 41(5), 1154–1176.

She, L., et al. (2024). Future orientation and financial wellbeing: The role of responsible financial behavior. International Journal of Consumer Studies.

Simonn, F. C. (2025). Past, present, and future research trajectories on retail investor behaviour: A composite bibliometric analysis and literature review. International Journal of Financial Studies, 13(2), 105.

Simonn, J., et al. (2025). Retail investor psychology and behavioral biases: A review of overconfidence in investment decision-making. Review of Behavioral Finance.

Singh, D., Malik, G., Jain, P., & Abouraia, M. (2024). A systematic review and research agenda on the causes and consequences of financial overconfidence. Cogent Economics & Finance, 12(1), 2348543.

Singh, A., & Kumar, S. (2026). Investor confidence, perceived financial control, and subjective financial wellbeing. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance.

Tuluma, E. T., & Tafida, A. M. (2026). Application of Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Strengths, Criticisms and Weaknesses.

Tummarakoti, S., Vedula, K., & Sanjana, D. S. (2025). Financial literacy, behavioral biases, and retail investment decisions in India's Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Journal of Management Research, 17(2), 61–76.

Ullah, M. A., Bhojani, N., & Jumani, N. (2026). Investor overconfidence in the AI era: Human vs. algorithmic decision-making. Journal of Social & Organizational Matters, 5(1), 203–217.

Van Raaij, W. F., Riitsalu, L., & Poder, K. (2023). Direct and indirect effects of self-control and future time perspective on financial well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology, 99, 102667.

Verma, S., & Srivastava, A. (2026). Understanding behavioural biases in investment decision-making of a stock market investor. Learnovate-International, 20–24.

Zhang, Y., Gooi, L.-M., & Niu, J. (2026). The mediating role of financial behavior in the relationship between psychological capital and financial wellbeing: Evidence from a cross-sectional study in China. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1760291.

Zhao, X., Lynch, J. G., Jr., & Chen, Q. (2010). Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and truths about mediation analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(2), 197–206.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-28

How to Cite

Imtiaz Khan, Usman Ali, Muhammad Ashfaq, & Muhammad Saeed Ahmad. (2026). Examining the Impact of Future Time Orientation on Financial Wellbeing Among Retail Investors: The Mediating Role of Overconfidence. International Journal of Emerging Multidisciplinaries: Social Science, 5(2), 510–533. https://doi.org/10.54938/ijemdss.2026.05.2.714

Issue

Section

Research Article