"Behavioural insights are essential to designing effective financial solutions."
Behavioural finance provides the tools to uncover why people struggle with saving, investing, and financial planning — and to develop interventions that promote improved financial outcomes.
Amelina Apricia Sjam is an Academic Researcher at the Faculty of Digital Business and Law, Maranatha Christian University, Indonesia. She earned her Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Essex, United Kingdom, where she also completed her Master of Science in Finance with distinction. Her academic background is complemented by undergraduate and graduate studies in economics and management from leading Indonesian universities. In addition to her academic credentials, she is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), accredited by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) Indonesia, and an active member of the Financial Planner Association Indonesia (FPAI).
Her expertise spans behavioural finance and economics, with a focus on generating insights that help improve decision-making in public policy, education, and financial well-being. She is actively engaged in international research collaborations with scholars from the University of Essex (United Kingdom) and the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany), contributing to international research on behavioural economics and financial decision-making. Through her teaching, research, and professional engagement, she bridges theory and practice to empower individuals and institutions alike.
Why Cashless Payments Make Us Spend More
Why do we overspend when we go cashless?
Have you ever checked your balance and wondered, “How did I spend this much?” When payments feel effortless and less visible—such as tapping a card—overspending becomes more likely, often without us noticing. Cash, on the other hand, keeps spending tangible and easier to control. Strong financial knowledge can reduce this risk, but the deeper insight is clear: the way payment systems are designed quietly shapes our everyday financial decisions.
Why Having a Bank Account Isn’t Enough
Does owning a bank account make people financially resilient — or is there more to the story?
Opening a bank account is often seen as a solution to financial vulnerability—but access alone doesn’t guarantee security. What makes the real difference is how people use their accounts, especially whether they save. Evidence from Indonesia shows that regularly saving through formal accounts helps individuals feel more resilient when facing emergencies, medical expenses, or economic shocks such as the COVID-19 crisis. The message is simple but powerful: access matters, but saving is what truly builds financial resilience.
Why Smarter Thinking Leads to Smarter Investing
Is smarter thinking the key to smarter investing?
Making good investment decisions isn’t just about education—it’s about how well people process information and handle complexity. People with stronger cognitive ability are more likely to invest in financial assets, while the same pattern doesn’t appear for property or everyday goods. The insight is simple: navigating financial markets requires mental skills, and stronger cognitive ability helps people make more confident and effective investment choices.
When Fintech Scales, Who Gets Left Out?
Does Fintech help microfinance reach more people — or just make it more profitable?
Fintech is often celebrated for expanding financial access—but digital adoption can also change who gets served. As microfinance institutions go digital, commercially driven providers tend to protect profitability while reducing outreach to women and harder-to-reach clients. Socially focused institutions, in contrast, are more likely to preserve inclusion even as they adopt new technologies. The insight is clear: Fintech can scale finance, but whether it strengthens or weakens inclusion depends on institutional priorities.
Why Advanced Financial Literacy Matters
Does knowing more about money change how people invest?
Knowing more about money doesn’t always lead to the same decisions. Basic financial knowledge helps people manage familiar assets like savings or property, but navigating the stock market requires more advanced skills. Among young adults in Indonesia, deeper financial understanding is linked to greater participation in formal investing, while basic literacy alone may not be enough. The insight is clear: financial education works best when it matches the complexity of the decisions people face.
E-mail: amelina.as@maranatha.edu
Jl. Prof. drg. Surya Sumantri, M.P.H. No. 65
Bandung - 40164, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
