Family Communication, Privacy Orientation, & Financial Literacy: A Survey of U.S. College Students

Increasing personal financial responsibility has increased the value of financial literacy in recent decades, leading to an emphasis on financial literacy and educational programs. However, these educational efforts have demonstrated mixed results, necessitating further research regarding the influences on personal financial knowledge and capabilities. The present study explores the effect of family socialization, specifically through an analysis of family communication patterns and privacy orientations, hypothesizing that open dialogue regarding financial matters will encourage transmission of knowledge and a willingness to seek information when needed. Reporting on the results of an online survey of college students, the results imply that individuals from more communicative families report stronger financial literacy. This finding suggests that financial literacy education programs might be more pedagogically useful if they incorporate and facilitate conversation around financial matters. The findings also reinforce the necessity of financial education.