Exploring Cognitive Attributes in Financial Decision-Making

Second Workshop on Metacognitive Prediction of AI Behavior Exploring Cognitive Attributes in Financial Decision-Making Mallika Mainali, Drexel University, Philadelphia, P A, 19104, USA Rosina O. Weber, Drexel University, Philadelphia, P A, 19104, USA Abstract--Cognitive attributes are fundamental to metacognition, shaping how individuals process information, evaluate choices, and make decisions. T o develop metacognitive artificial intelligence (AI) models that reflect human reasoning, it is essential to account for the attributes that influence reasoning patterns and decision-maker behavior, often leading to different or even conflicting choices. This makes it crucial to incorporate cognitive attributes in designing AI models that align with human decision-making processes, especially in high-stakes domains such as finance, where decisions have significant real-world consequences. However, existing AI alignment research has primarily focused on value alignment, often overlooking the role of individual cognitive attributes that distinguish decision-makers. T o address this issue, this paper (1) analyzes the literature on cognitive attributes, (2) establishes five criteria for defining them, and (3) categorizes 19 domain-specific cognitive attributes relevant to financial decision-making.