Money Intuition in Digital Financial Behavior: The Impact Mechanism of Mobile Payment and Credit Consumption on Financial Risk Perception among Quasi-Digital Natives

Abstract

The deep popularization of digital payment has profoundly influenced the consumption behavior and money cognition of young people, but it has also raised concerns about the weakening of financial risk perception. This paper introduces the core concept of “money perceptibility,” which refers to individuals’ subjective judgment of the authenticity of money’s value and their comprehensive psychological perception during spending. Based on this, the paper constructs a theoretical analysis framework of “payment method—money perceptibility—financial risk perception.” It explores the impact mechanisms of mobile payment and credit consumption on the financial risk perception of quasi-digital natives through three pathways: sensory, cognitive, and emotional. Accordingly, the paper proposes countermeasures from three levels—family and school education, corporate product design, and government regulatory protection—aiming to help young people reshape healthy money cognition and enhance their ability to guard against financial risks in the digital era.