Theory of Behavioral Finance

Abstract

This chapter explores the evolution of modern behavioral finance theories from the traditional framework. It focuses on three main issues. First, it analyzes the importance of standard finance theories and the situations where they become insufficient i.e. market anomalies. Second, it signifies the role of behavioral finance in narrowing down the gaps between traditional finance theories and actual market conditions. This involves the substitution of standard finance theories with more realistic behavioral theories like the prospect theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979). In the end, it provides a synthesis of academic events that substantiate the presence of behavioral biases, their underlying psychology and their impact on financial markets. This chapter also highlights the implications of behavior biases on financial practitioners like market experts, portfolio managers and individual investors. The chapter concludes with providing the limitations and future scope of research in behavioral finance.