What’s Going On In Clients’ Heads? Don’t Ask AI

Core Insights - The increasing prominence of AI in investment management necessitates that human advisors develop a deeper emotional understanding of their clients, as behavioral finance is expected to play a larger role in wealth management [1][2] Group 1: Behavioral Finance and Client Risk Aversion - Client risk aversion is influenced not only by market volatility but also by personal experiences, with past low returns leading to a reluctance to take risks [3] - Psychological impacts from market losses can persist over generations, affecting behaviors such as home buying, with millennials showing hesitance due to the 2008 financial crisis [3] - Risk aversion can be inherited, as individuals may adopt conservative financial habits based on their family's historical experiences, even if they did not experience hardship directly [3] Group 2: Risk Tolerance and Investor Behavior - Some clients exhibit excessively high risk tolerance, driven by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which can create a sense of urgency and stress [4] - The neurological basis for FOMO is linked to the brain's pain center, indicating that the emotional response to risk can be profound even if not physically felt [4]