Interoceptive Ability Predicts Survival on a London Trading Floor

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Economics
• Physiology

Background:

• Interoception, the sense of the body's internal physiological state, is linked to decision-making.
• Previous research suggests higher interoceptive sensitivity correlates with better performance in laboratory-based risky decision-making tasks.
• Limited field research exists on the role of interoceptive sensitivity in real-world, high-stakes risk-taking environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether interoceptive sensitivity influences success in financial trading.
• To compare the interoceptive abilities of financial traders with a non-trading control group.
• To determine if interoceptive skills predict financial traders' profitability and market longevity.

Main Methods:

• Quantified heartbeat detection skills in London-based financial traders.
• Compared traders' interoceptive abilities against matched controls from the general population.
• Correlated interoceptive sensitivity with traders' profitability and duration in financial markets.

Main Results:

• Financial traders demonstrated superior heartbeat detection skills compared to controls.
• Interoceptive ability significantly predicted individual traders' profitability.
• Higher interoceptive sensitivity was associated with longer survival in financial markets.

Conclusions:

• Interoceptive sensitivity is a key factor in the success of financial traders.
• The study provides empirical support for the concept of 'gut feelings' in financial decision-making.
• Body-derived signals, via interoception, may contribute to expertise in high-stakes financial markets.