What is loss aversion?

Loss aversion is the observation that human beings experience losses asymmetrically more severely than equivalent gains. This overwhelming fear of loss can cause investors to behave irrationally and make bad decisions, such as holding onto a stock for too long or too little time.

How do you deal with loss aversion?

A simple way to tackle loss aversion is to ask ourselves what the worst outcome would be if the course of action was taken. Usually, this helps us put loss and the strong associated feelings with it into perspective. This way, we can get over our fears and better rationalize if it is worth making a decision or not.

Does phrasing a question increase loss aversion?

Phrasing a question as a loss may increase loss aversion, while phrasing that same question as a gain may reduce loss aversion, leading to a more calculated response. 12 When proposing a transaction, try framing the options in a way that highlights the potential benefits that can be achieved, rather than emphasizing the risks.

Does loss aversion exist in small payoff magnitudes?

There are several explanations for these findings: one, is that loss aversion does not exist in small payoff magnitudes (called magnitude dependent loss aversion by Mukherjee et al. (2017); which seems to hold true for time as well. The other is that the generality of the loss aversion pattern is lower than previously thought.