Basics Beginner: 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.
Mental accounting refers to _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Keeping our money in different buckets for different purposes. While this practice is often beneficial, it can sometimes lead to wasteful spending depending on how we view those buckets.
2.
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.
3.
What does representativeness lead to?
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Giving too much weight to recent performance. Representativeness is a mental shortcut that causes investors to give too much weight to recent evidence--such as short-term performance numbers--and too little weight to evidence from the more distant past. For instance, a look at a companys profit trends over the past six years is likely to yield more insight than looking at that companys stock performance over the past six months.
4.
The practice of herding refers to _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Going along with the crowd. This is the practice of buying and selling based on the fact that it is popular to do so at the time.
5.
Confirmation bias is a good investing practice to follow because it usually leads to good decisions.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
False. While it sometimes does, it can also deprive us of choosing other, potentially good opportunities.
6.
Self-handicapping bias occurs when we _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Think of excuses before we do something to justify failure just in case it happens. These excuses can sabotage our performance.
7.
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.
8.
In the world of investing, what does overconfidence refer to?
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
The ability to think that one is smarter than one really is. Overconfidence stretches normal confidence to unhealthy levels.
9.
In the psychology of investing, the "framing effect" refers to _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Using a reference point to make investment decisions. Because this reference point can be subjective, it can lead to some rash decisions.
10.
An example of the psychological concept of loss aversion is _______.
Choose wisely. There is only one correct answer.
Holding onto a poorly performing stock. The fear of loss is so great in some people that they will hold on to stocks that are tanking badly, even when they see no real reason for it.