The Daily Stat from Harvard Business Review

 

January 19, 2015 What That Cigarette Says About a Person’s Financial Decisions The good news for smokers is that smoking is associated with a greater willingness to take risks. The bad news is that it is associated with lower conscientiousness, a lower willingness to delay rewards, and poorer decision making in the realm of personal finance, leading to lower credit scores: Smokers are nearly twice as likely to experience credit denials than nonsmokers, says a team led by Scott Adams of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The research, based on an analysis of two large databases, including one that covered more than 1,000 trainee truck drivers, doesn't suggest that smoking causes any of these negative results, only that observed smoking behavior could be useful in predicting financial decision making, the researchers say. SOURCE: How different are smokers? An analysis based on personal finances

BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials | HBR's 10 Must Reads Ebook Boxed Set | HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations Ebook + Video Case Study | HBR Guide to Better Business Writing | HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done

FEATURED PRODUCT 25%* Off $40 Purchase Limited Time Offer! Place at least a $40 order online today at hbr.org and receive a 25%* discount on books, ebooks, articles, cases and more! Enter Promotion Code EMORD4025 into the Promotion Code field at Checkout, and click Apply button. *Note: Discount does not apply to HBR magazine subscriptions, shipping, handling, taxes or custom fees. Limit one-time use per customer. No adjustments to prior purchases. Cannot be combined with other discounted pricing offers. Limited time offer valid online only. Buy Now

FEATURED PRODUCT HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case Ebook + Tools HBR Press Book This enhanced eBook version of the HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case includes downloadable tools and templates to help you get started on your own case right away. You've got a great idea that will increase profitability or productivity – but how do you get approval for the budget and resources to make it happen? By building a business case that clearly shows your idea's value. Available exclusively through HBR.org. Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT

HBR.ORG | THE MAGAZINE | TOPICS | BOOKS | CASES | STORE | SUBSCRIBE TO HBR UNSUBSCRIBE | NEWSLETTERS PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT Copyright © 2015 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing 60 Harvard Way Boston, MA 02163 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-545-7685 (US/Canada) 1-617-783-7600 (outside the U.S. and Canada)