Help
Course Catalog > Stocks > 400
Stocks 407: Psychology and Investing

Test your knowledge

Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer to each question.

0%
Keep studying!
Review your answers below to learn more.
1.
Which of the following examples illustrates selective memory?
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Remembering only the successes. Selective memory, as a rule, selects those memories that we want to preserve.
2.
What is a good way as an investor to avoid falling prey to the framing effect?
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Consider the total return of your investments. Seeing your choice in terms of the total return can help you avoid framing it in relative terms, which can be costly.
3.
Investors who exhibit "herding" behavior tend to think that other investors have more information than they do.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
True. Herding refers to investing along with the crowd. This usually entails believing that others have information that you dont.
4.
Confirmation bias is the practice of _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Giving preference to information that supports what we already believe. This practice can sometimes limit our success with investing by shutting out other opportunities.
5.
A way to describe the psychological concept of loss aversion is this: strongly preferring to avoid losses over acquiring gains.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
True. This behavior can in some cases cause you to lose money.
6.
In investing, sunk costs refer to costs that have already been incurred.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
True. If the costs of an investment are high, we might become reluctant to dump it due to how much we have put into it.
7.
Mental accounting is a psychological practice that refers to keeping our investments in good condition.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
False. Mental accounting really means putting our money in different buckets for different purposes. Its not always harmful, but sometimes it can inadvertently lead to wasteful spending.
8.
In investing, overconfidence means thinking that we are more capable than we really are.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
True. Overconfidence is an unhealthy extension of confidence.
9.
When you judge an investment by objective standards rather than your own personal ones, you are practicing what is called "anchoring."
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
False. Anchoring is the other way around, and in some cases it can lead to costly losses.
10.
In investing, self-handicapping might be considered the opposite of _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Overconfidence. Self-handicapping involves looking for excuses beforehand to explain why something might not work. If it indeed does not work, we have handicapped ourselves.