Ever wonder why smart people make irrational investment decisions? The answer lies in our psychological wiring. Loss aversion makes parting with losing investments almost physically painful, while confirmation bias ensures we only see evidence supporting our existing views. These forces work together to create a perfect storm of poor financial choices that most investors never recognise.

Gerald Ashley and George Cooper take us on a fascinating journey through the minefield of cognitive biases that sabotage our investment returns. They explore how loss aversion causes us to cling desperately to losing positions while selling winners prematurely – 'harvesting flowers while letting weeds grow'. Meanwhile, confirmation bias has us automatically seeking information that reinforces our existing perspectives while avoiding anything contradictory.

They also examine how modern technology amplifies these natural tendencies. Social media algorithms, designed to maximize engagement, feed us an endless stream of content that either confirms our existing beliefs or triggers our fears. This creates dangerous feedback loops that not only affect our investment decisions but potentially contribute to market volatility and societal polarisation.

Finally they consider happiness research from behavioural science. How the pursuit of extrinsic rewards (wealth, possessions, status) consistently fails to deliver lasting satisfaction due to hedonic adaptation – we quickly adjust to improvements in our circumstances and require ever more to maintain the same happiness level. By contrast, intrinsic pursuits like experiences, personal development, and relationships provide more sustainable wellbeing.

This Episodes Book Recommendations

Gerald suggests:
Why Most Things Fail
by Paul Ormerod 

And George recommended:
Behavioural Investing: A Practitioner's Guide to Applying Behavioural Finance
by James Montier