The stock market may have more in common with
backpacking and
gap year travel than is presumed, according to a new study.
Those that have stayed in
hostels around the world are likely to be all too aware of the potential for a sudden blast of cold water over their backs mid-shower everytime someone uses another tap.
But researchers from the University of Fribourg and Bonn in Germany have found that when shower taps in
hostels have individual quirks, as opposed to being adjustable to the same parameters, the risk of "extreme fluctuations" is far less.
The theory works in much the same way when applied to the performance of the stock market, where the idiosyncratic decision-making of the individual brokers helps maintain overall stability.
After entering data into a computer programme, scientist Christina Matzke and her collegue discovered that the existence of "heterogeneous taps" prevent the average temperature for those of the
hostels' guests showering at the same time from suddenly rising or falling.
However, she warned: "From the perspective of the individual they also have disadvantages, as it's more difficult for each person to set the right temperature."
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