The Biology of Investing

Why do people’s financial and economic preferences vary so widely? ’Nurture’ variables such as socioeconomic factors partially explain these differences, but scientists have been discovering that ’nature’ also plays an important role. This is the first book to bring together these scientific insights for a holistic view of the role of human biology in financial decision-making.

Geneticists are now examining which genetic markers are associated with financial and economic preferences. Neuroscientists are now determining where in the brain financial decisions are made and how that varies between people. Endocrinologists relate the level of different hormones circulating in the body to financial risk-taking. Researchers are exploring how physiology and environmental conditions influence investment decisions, and how three types of cognitive ability play essential roles in investment success. This exciting and relevant work being done in these academic silos has generally not been transmitted among the scientific areas, or to industry. For the first time, this book integrates all these areas, explaining the myriad ways in which a person’s biology influences their investing decisions.

Financial analysts, advisors, market participants, and upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students of behavioral finance, behavioral economics, and investing will find this book invaluable, enabling a deeper understanding of investors’ decision-making processes.

To further ensure this new material is accessible to students, PowerPoint slides are available online for instructors’ use.

John R. Nofsinger, Ph.D., is the William H. Seward Chair in International Finance at the University of Alaska Anchorage and is a portfolio manager at Denali Advisors, LLC.

Corey A. Shank, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Dalton State College.