The psychology of the market is one that includes both the psychology of investing and the psychology of gambling. There are the compulsive attractions of gambling in the market. The undulating moods of the stock market, alternating between its bull phase of energy greediness and grandiosity, and the bear phase of timidity, anxiety, indecisiveness and self-doubt, reflect the manic behavior of the gambling addict.

Speculation differs from most gambling activities in that the beliefs of the participants affect the results. In certain circumstances speculators are capable of creating self-fulfilling prophecies. Success in speculation is ultimately dependent on finding someone else to buy your shares at a higher price than you paid for him or her. Every speculative bubble resembles a chain letter in that profits are provided by late entrants to the market. Everyone is attempting to anticipate the immediate intentions of his competitors. In such circumstances, paying attention to shifts in market psychology becomes essential.