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Abstract We consider Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to correctly predict the intentions of others. To an important degree, good ToM function requires abstraction from one’s own particular circumstances. Here, we posit that such abstraction can be transferred successfully to other, non-social contexts. We consider the disposition effect, which is a pervasive cognitive bias whereby investors, including professionals, improperly take their personal trading history into account when deciding on investments. We design an intervention policy whereby we attempt to transfer good ToM function, subconsciously, to personal investment decisions. In a within-subject repeated-intervention laboratory experiment, we record how the disposition effect is reduced by a very significant 85%, but only for those with high scores on the social-cognitive dimension of ToM function. No such transfer is observed in subjects who score well only on the social-perceptual dimension of ToM function. Our findings open up a promising way to exploit cognitive talent in one domain in order to alleviate cognitive deficiencies elsewhere.

This paper introduces the intra-daily implied volatility (IDIV), a new volatility measure to price currency option accurately. The IDIV is developed based on the implied volatility estimated on equally spaced intradaily intervals. This model captures the intra-daily level aggregate information related to foreign exchange (FX) behavior, which changes every five minutes. The implied volatility (IV) and realized volatility (RV) are widely accepted as good estimates of daily and intra-daily price volatility, respectively. Therefore, using the options pricing framework, we assess the capability of IDIV against IV and RV in pricing foreign currency options. A comparison of out-of-sample forecasts under both the F-test and Diebold-Mariano test reveals that the IDIV outperforms both the IV and the RV in estimating one-day-ahead option prices. In other words, the IDIV estimation framework provides a more accurate and efficient volatility estimate for pricing currency options. The findings of this study indicate that the forward looking intra-daily information of IDIV is appropriate to price options correctly rather than forward looking daily and historical intra-daily information is obtained by the IV and RV, respectively.