Self-Attribution Bias
Self-attribution bias is the tendency for individuals to attribute successful outcomes to their own skill and effort, while attributing unsuccessful outcomes to external factors. In trading, this means traders take credit for profitable trades but blame market manipulation or bad luck for losses.
This bias prevents traders from learning from their mistakes and improving their strategies. It creates a distorted view of one's own abilities, leading to overconfidence.
By failing to take responsibility for losses, traders miss the opportunity to analyze their decision-making process and identify flaws. To improve, traders must objectively evaluate both wins and losses.
This requires keeping a detailed trading journal and analyzing trades without ego. Self-attribution bias is a significant barrier to long-term growth and success.
It is a common human trait that must be actively managed to become a more effective trader.