State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College Digital Commons at Buffalo State Applied Economics Theses Economics and Finance 5-2017 Behavioral Economics and the Effects of Psychology on the Stock Market Justin L. Nagy
[email protected] Advisor Dr. Theodore Byrley First Reader Dr. Theodore Byrley Second Reader Dr. Frederick Floss Third Reader Dr. Xingwang Qian Department Chair Dr. Frederick Floss To learn more about the Economics and Finance Department and its educational programs, research, and resources, go to http://economics.buffalostate.edu/. Recommended Citation Nagy, Justin L., "Behavioral Economics and the Effects of Psychology on the Stock Market" (2017). Applied Economics Theses. 24. https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/economics_theses/24 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/economics_theses Part of the Behavioral Economics Commons Behavioral Economics and the Effects of Psychology on the Stock Market By Justin L. Nagy An Abstract of a Thesis In Applied Economics and Finance Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree, of Master of Arts 2017 Buffalo State College State University of New York Department of Economics and Finance i Abstract of Thesis Behavioral Economics and the Effects of Psychology on the Stock Market The purpose of this thesis is to study the contributions behavioral economics and finance have had on the understanding on how the stock market works. The idea that psychology plays a role in influencing the stock market can be dated back to Adam Smith who wrote about individual’s behavior in his work Theory of Moral Sentiments. It wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century that behavioral economics became accepted as a counter to Eugene Fama’s widely accepted theory of Efficient Market Hypothesis.