The Hot Hand Fallacy : Why Streaks Mislead

The Hot Hand Myth: Stats vs. Mind Games

Seeing links is in us all, yet it can fool us when we look at sets with no clear order. The hot hand myth started in 1970s basketball talk. It shows how our minds make links where truly random events are at play.

Its Part in Money Moves

Works show 78% of day traders lose money as they hunt for what they feel are “hot runs” in the market. These so-called wins are just random shifts that happen by luck. Big cash groups spend a lot based on past wins but often see no sure signs of future ups.

Moving Past Mistakes in Finding Links

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  • Track what is real
  • Make choices based on what may come
  • Keep true counts
  • Tell random shifts from real outcomes

The way to smarter steps is to learn these mind games and use solid facts over ideas. Knowing stats and random shifts can dodge big mistakes tied to this common mind mess up.

The Rise of Hot Hand Talk

The Hot Hand Talk in Basketball

The hot hand way first blew up in the 1970s and early 1980s in basketball. Players and fans saw clear shot runs and thought it was about keeping on a roll. This idea deeply moved basketball plans and moves.

Deep Look and Study

In 1985, mind gurus Thomas Gilovich, Robert Vallone, and Amos Tversky checked the Philadelphia 76ers’ shot runs. Their big work asked if these runs were real or just random bits we got wrong.

Mind Effects and Seeing Links

The hot hand idea went past basketball, growing into a known mind game touching things like bets and money spots. This huge load comes from our old need to see links—a skill from long ago that helped early humans live by seeing key bits in nature.

Main Bits in Hot Hand Thinking

  • Seeing Links: Needed for staying alive long ago
  • Mind Game: Seeing runs in what’s just luck
  • Strategy Effects: Touches choices in sports and more
  • Number Test: Big check of what we think we see

Getting the Idea of Seeing Links

The Roots of Seeing Links

The skill to see links grew as a key brain skill all through human change. Our heads got smart at picking out and making sense of links around us. This skill helped our past people see risks, find food, and grab chances that made them live on.

Mind Work and Spotting Links

The human head is good at seeing links, even where none are. This brain setup works in two ways:

  • System 1: Quick, gut link finding
  • System 2: Slow, deep link checks

Mind Games in Making Moves

The hot hand myth shows how seeing links shapes how we see and choose. This mind slip shows up in:

  • How we see sports skills
  • Choices with money chances of winning.
  • Bet plans
  • How we read sets in a row

Truth vs. What We See

Works tell us we often see links where there are none. This belief in “runs” happens even when stats show it’s all by chance. Our brain’s need to find links can outshine clear number thinking, making us:

  • Believe in links more
  • Count too much on past wins
  • Mix up random sets
  • Jump to fast thoughts on if links are real

The Know-How of Random Sets

The Hard Bit of True Random

Our heads are set for finding links, making true random hard to get. While we look for shifts and even spreads, real random bits often show in ways we don’t expect.