Outlook Money Outlook Money, July 2018 | Page 51

inherent in humans. It is better to be aware of these biases than to combat them”. He further adds, “Experiences of the past can sometimes bias our future outlook. Euphoria of the past can blur our vision of the future and impact our decision making abilities. Similarly, baggage from the past impedes our ability to spot opportunities.” Herd Mentality Bias There are some biases that all investors have encountered along their investment journey. At some point of time or the other, investors have been influenced by the ‘herd mentality’ bias. The rational is that the crowd cannot be wrong. If everyone is investing in a certain stock, then it must have some merit. “Attracted by ‘irrational exuberance’, investors tend to invest