Endowment bias

PrepNuggets

An emotional bias that occurs when an asset is perceived as special and more valuable simply because it is already owned, and has special meaning to the holder. For example, a spouse may hold on to securities the deceased spouse purchased, for reasons like sentiment that are unrelated to the current merits of the securities.

Market participants who exhibit endowment bias may be failing to sell assets that are no longer appropriate for their investment needs, or they hold assets with which they are familiar because they provide some intangible sense of comfort. As a result, the individual may maintain an inappropriate asset allocation that is inconsistent with his or her risk tolerance and goals.

Compare: Status quo bias, Regret-aversion bias

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