WHAT IS TRADING PSYCHOLOGY?
Trading psychology is a broad term that includes all the emotions and feelings that a typical trader will encounter when trading. Some of these emotions are helpful and should be embraced while others like fear, greed, nervousness and anxiety should be contained. The psychology of trading is complex and takes time to fully master.
In reality, many traders experience the negative effects of trading psychology more than the positive aspects. Instances of this can appear in the form of closing losing trades prematurely, as the fear of loss gets too much, or simply doubling down on losing positions when the fear of realizing a loss turns to greed.
One of the most treacherous emotions prevalent in financial markets is the fear of missing out, or FOMO as it is known. Parabolic rises entice traders to buy after the move has peaked, leading to huge emotional stress when the market reverses and moves in the opposite direction.
Traders that manage to benefit from the positive aspects of psychology, while managing the bad aspects, are better placed to handle the volatility of the financial markets and become a better trader.