Research Article

Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses

Volume: 11 Number: 2 June 30, 2026
TR EN

Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses

Abstract

In times of increased unpredictability, investors' perception of risk changes significantly. The study aims to examine the return responses of safe-haven assets from a behavioural perspective rather than to measure quantity-based demand directly. It elaborates on perceived risk, loss aversion, and uncertainty avoidance as critical determining processes and traits. The data from January 2000 to October 2025 examine gold, the Swiss franc (USD/CHF), and the Japanese yen (USD/JPY) as safe-haven assets. The VIX, EPU, and GPR indices represent financial market, economic policy, and geopolitical uncertainty respectively. Because the dependent variables are stationary return series, the empirical design is framed as a direction-dependent dynamic regression based on asymmetric partial-sum decomposition rather than as a cointegration or error-correction model. The evidence shows significant asymmetries in both cumulative and short-run return responses. Greater and more persistent responses occur amid rises in uncertainty than falls in uncertainty, which show much weaker and often insignificant responses. Investor reactions to higher and lower levels of uncertainty show a statistically significant difference for all the measures. The intensity and duration of these effects vary across different assets, indicating that gold and currency-based safe-haven assets have different behavioural roles for investors.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

This study which does not require ethics committee approval and/or legal/specific permission complies with the research and publication ethics.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Finance

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

April 20, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 29, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 11 Number: 2

APA
Saldanlı, A., Medetoğlu, B., Günay, F., & Kavas, Y. B. (2026). Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses. Ekonomi Politika Ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi, 11(2), 671-693. https://doi.org/10.30784/epfad.1934878
AMA
1.Saldanlı A, Medetoğlu B, Günay F, Kavas YB. Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses. EPF Journal. 2026;11(2):671-693. doi:10.30784/epfad.1934878
Chicago
Saldanlı, Arif, Batuhan Medetoğlu, Fatih Günay, and Yusuf Bahadır Kavas. 2026. “Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses”. Ekonomi Politika Ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi 11 (2): 671-93. https://doi.org/10.30784/epfad.1934878.
EndNote
Saldanlı A, Medetoğlu B, Günay F, Kavas YB (June 1, 2026) Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses. Ekonomi Politika ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi 11 2 671–693.
IEEE
[1]A. Saldanlı, B. Medetoğlu, F. Günay, and Y. B. Kavas, “Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses”, EPF Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 671–693, June 2026, doi: 10.30784/epfad.1934878.
ISNAD
Saldanlı, Arif - Medetoğlu, Batuhan - Günay, Fatih - Kavas, Yusuf Bahadır. “Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses”. Ekonomi Politika ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi 11/2 (June 1, 2026): 671-693. https://doi.org/10.30784/epfad.1934878.
JAMA
1.Saldanlı A, Medetoğlu B, Günay F, Kavas YB. Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses. EPF Journal. 2026;11:671–693.
MLA
Saldanlı, Arif, et al. “Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses”. Ekonomi Politika Ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi, vol. 11, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 671-93, doi:10.30784/epfad.1934878.
Vancouver
1.Arif Saldanlı, Batuhan Medetoğlu, Fatih Günay, Yusuf Bahadır Kavas. Risk Perception under Uncertainty: A Behavioral Analysis of Safe-Haven Asset Return Responses. EPF Journal. 2026 Jun. 1;11(2):671-93. doi:10.30784/epfad.1934878