POSITIVE FEEDBACK

A self-perpetuating pattern of investment behavior. The group mentality that causes investors to sell when the market is declining and buy when it is rising is an example of positive feedback. Positive feedback is the reason why market declines often lead to further market declines and increases lead to further increases. It is also a source of market volatility. When a cycle of positive feedback continues for too long, it can create an asset bubble or a market crash.