Essay on why rationality is one of the assumptions of modern finance
As observed by Shleifer (2000) ‘At the most general level, behavioural finance is the study of human fallibility in competitive markets.’ Behavioural finance incorporates elements of cognitive psychology into finance in an effort to better understand how individuals and entire markets respond to different circumstances. Behavioural finance is based on the principle that all investors are not rational. Some investors can be over-confident, while other less knowledgeable investors might be prone to herding effects. Shefrin (1999) was one such author to talk about behavioural finance.
