The Psychology of Investing

by John R. Nofsinger

Overview

While traditional finance focuses on the tools used to optimize return and minimize risk, this book shows how psychology can explain our decisions more than financial theory. Analyzing how investors behave in the real world, this is the first book of its kind to delve into the ways biases influence investment behavior, and how overcoming these biases can increase financial success.

Now in its seventh edition, this classic text features:

• An easy-to-understand structure, illustrating psychological biases as everyday behavior; analyzing their effect on investment decisions; and concluding with academic studies that show real-life investors making choices that hurt their wealth
• New content on fintech and cryptocurrencies, the role of social media in investing, generational biases, and the COVID-19 pandemic
• Experiential examples, chapter summaries, and end-of-chapter discussion questions to help readers test their practical understanding
• Online supplements comprising PowerPoint slides for both students and lecturers

Fully updated with the latest research in the field, The Psychology of Investing will prove fascinating and educational for advanced students in behavioral finance, investment and portfolio management classes, as well as investors and financial planners.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367748210
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/28/2022
Edition description:	7th ed.
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

John R. Nofsinger is the William H. Seward Endowed Chair in International Finance and Dean of the College of Business and Public Policy at the University of Alaska Anchorage, USA.

Table of Contents

1. Psychology and Finance 2. Overconfidence 3. Pride and Regret 4. Risk Perceptions 5. Decision Frames 6. Mental Accounting 7. Forming Portfolios 8. Representativeness and Familiarity 9. Social Interaction and Investing 10. Emotion and Investment Decisions 11. Self-Control and Decision Making 12. The Physiology of Investing 13. The Meme Investors of 2021

Preface

An old Wall Street adage states that two factors move the market: fear and greed. Although true, this characterization is far too simplistic. The human mind is very sophisticated, and human emotions are very complex. The emotions of fear and greed just don't adequately describe the psychology that affects people. This book is one of the first texts to delve into this fascinating and important subject.

Few other texts provide this information because traditional finance has focused on developing the tools that investors use to optimize expected return and risk. This endeavor has been fruitful, yielding tools such as asset pricing models, portfolio theories, and option pricing. Although investors should use these tools in their investment decision making, they typically do not. We tend not to use these tools because psychology affects our decisions more than financial theory does.

Unfortunately, your psychological biases inhibit your ability to make good investment decisions. By learning about your psychological biases, you can overcome them and increase your wealth. You will notice that most of the chapters are structured in a similar way. I first describe the psychological bias and illustrate it with everyday behavior (such as driving a car). The effect of the bias on investment decisions is then described. Lastly, I use academic studies to show that investors really do have the problem.

This material does not replace the investment texts of traditional finance. Understanding psychological biases complements the traditional finance tools. Indeed, after reading this book you should be convinced that traditional tools are valuable.

Editorial Reviews

"John Nofsinger’s The Psychology of Investing has become a modern classic. The 7th edition features new content on fintech and cryptocurrencies, the role of social media in investing, generational biases, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Anyone interested in keeping abreast of the latest developments on the behavioral side of investing should find this latest edition indispensable."
— H. Kent Baker, University Professor of Finance, American University

"John Nofsinger’s The Psychology of Investing has become a modern classic. The 7th edition features new content on fintech and cryptocurrencies, the role of social media in investing, generational biases, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone interested in keeping abreast of the latest developments on the behavioral side of investing should find this latest edition indispensable."
— H. Kent Baker, University Professor of Finance, American University

From the Publisher