Abstract:
The main purpose of this paper was to analyze and evaluate the influence of behavioral factors
on private investors’ investment decision in PLCs at Bahir Dar city. The researcher, based on
the post positivism world view, used quantitative type of research approach and explanatory type
of research design. The researcher used the primary data source to collect the necessary data for
the analyzing the descriptive and the inferential statistics. In order to select the representative
sample that best infer the entire population, the researcher used simple random sampling
technique of the probability sampling method. The researcher studied and evaluated particularly
to determine the extent of behavioral factors predictor variables (Representative bias; anchoring
bias; availability bias; overconfidence bias; loss aversion bias; regret aversion bias; mental
accounting bias; market information; price change; imitation) influence on the response
variable private investors’ investment decision. The researcher used SPSS version 20 for data
encoding, coding, editing and for depicting the figure and StataSE 14 for tests and regression
analyses. In order to test the reliability of the questionnaire for each respective predictor
variable and over all reliability test, the researcher used Cronbach’s alpha test, hence, in the
test, he found that as it is reliable since the cronbach’s alpha value is greater than the threshold
value 0.7 which is appropriate and advisable for serving as a threshold. Moreover, chi-square
test of association was employed to check whether there is an association between the response
variable investment decision and the predictor variables explanatory variables. In that, based on
the result, the researcher found that loss aversion bias, availability bias, anchoring bias, and
price change have a statistically significant influence on the investment decisions of the private
investors at PLC in case of Bahir Dar city. The researcher also used multicollinearity test to
know the interdependence between the predictor variables, behavioral factors, each other. As a
result of the test, he found that with the exception of some predictor variables which have either
a weak positive or negative interdependence between each other, all other most predictor
variables, behavioral factors, have no interdependence between each other.