Investment Madness: How Psychology Affects Your Investing...And What To Do About It

Why'd you fall for that Internet stock? Why do you always seem to buy high and sell low? Why does it look like everyone else is getting rich but you? As an investor, your emotions are your biggest obstacles -- cutting your returns, and raising your risks. Drawing on the new science of behavioral finance, Investment Madness will show you how to take control of your emotions -- and maximize your profits. Nofsinger shows how to think about your investments more clearly, without the overconfidence that leads many investors to take too many risks, and lower their returns. You'll gain insight into how your self-image impacts your investment decisions, and how to recognize when pride or avoiding feelings of regret are preventing you from taking appropriate action. Discover how to place your recent investment experiences -- good and bad -- in realistic perspective. Learn how to avoid the human tendency to stay with only the financial instruments you're already comfortable with. Finally, understand how the human brain handles investment memories -- and how what you remember may not always be what happened. For every investor, amateur and professional alike.