ABSTRACT

This book sheds light on financial decision making and lays down the major biases in human behavioral decision making, such as over-confidence, naive extrapolation, attention, and risk aversion, and how they lead investors and corporations to make considerable mistakes in investment.

It draws on a large body of literature, from psychology and social psychology to, most importantly, behavioral economics and behavioral finance. It also looks at the progress in behavioral finance research over recent decades and includes research outputs based on retail and institutional investors from the United States, China, and many other international financial markets.

The book focuses on China’s financial reforms and economic transition and includes many cases from that country to highlight the importance of behavioral finance and investor education. It therefore provides much needed in-depth understanding of the Chinese capital market.

chapter 1|12 pages

Disappointing Performance

chapter 2|10 pages

Unsettled Investors

chapter 3|9 pages

Under-Diversified Portfolios

chapter 5|8 pages

Disappointing Mutual Fund Performance

chapter 6|8 pages

Irrational Mind

chapter 8|10 pages

Difficult History

chapter 9|5 pages

Learning by Investing

chapter 10|6 pages

Over-Confident CEOs

chapter 11|8 pages

Catering CEOs

chapter 12|8 pages

Risk Managment! Risk Management!

chapter 13|10 pages

Regulation and Government Decision Making

The behavioral biases of governments and regulators

chapter 14|11 pages

How to Reform