We study the relationship between stock market return expectations and risk aversion of individuals and test whether the joint effects arising from the interaction of these two variables affect investment decisions. Using data from the Dutch National Bank Household Survey, we find that risk...

Individuals' stock market participation depends on the risk–return trade-off they expect to achieve from investing. We argue that the expected economic benefits from investing are highly heterogeneous. To capture these benefits, we define the personal equity risk premium (PERP) as the...