A typical behavioral pattern of investors is to reduce stock market exposure after a crash. We suggest a simple nudge based on the IKEA effect and the endowment effect that reduces this problem substantially: In case of a market crash, stockholders who have chosen their own portfolios are more likely to stick with their investment choices.
Human behavior is remarkably complicated. And yet, just as Newton's laws of motion distill three fundamental truths about the physical world, the three laws of human behavior describe three fundamental truths of human behavior: People tend to stick to the status quo unless the forces of friction or fuel push us them off their path; behavior is a function of the person and their environment; every decision includes tradeoffs and the potential for unintended consequences.
Researchers have long maintained the importance of individual differences in motivational orientations for understanding personality and behavior. Recent findings suggest that strengthening and integrating four different motives in particular may make us better decision makers and more effective at achieving our goals.
People's failure to act is an important problem discussed in behavioral economics and finance. But inappropriate action can also be detrimental. Find out more about the action bias in this post.
