Social and Psychological Predictors of Youths’ Attitudes to Cryptocurrency

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to verify the “Attitudes Toward Cryptocurrencies Questionnaire” and to identify predictors of attitudes toward Bitcoin. Sample: 262 participants aged 17 to 30, of which 45% were male. Methods: Associations, “Value Scale”, “The Moral Foundations Questionnaire”, “Money Beliefs and Behaviors Scale” by A. Furnham, and “The Baseline Confidence Scale” by L. Haff. Confirmatory factor analysis proved the three-factor structure of the questionnaire. A linear regression analysis showed that beliefs in the potential of cryptocurrency as a payment instrument are directly related to people-centered care and value of freedom, and are inversely related to sanctity; they are associated positively with confidence in the financial system and negatively with confidence in the government. Age and gender also matter. Worries about the introduction of cryptocurrency are directly related to a negative attitude to money, the value of self-confidence, age, and confidence in the financial system and government, and are inversely related to trust in people and money anxiety. Willingness to use cryptocurrency in perspective directly depends on trust in the power of money, orientation towards independence in actions, age, and gender, and is inversely dependent on confidence in the government. The data state that the intention to use cryptocurrency is directly related to the desire for financial autonomy and distrust of social institutions.