In simple terms
“Married to the trade” means becoming so attached to a position that reducing it, closing it, or changing one’s view becomes difficult when evidence changes. It is slang, not a technical category, and does not by itself establish a psychological bias.
Conviction and attachment differ
A long holding period can be consistent when thesis, horizon, size, and invalidation are documented and still valid. Attachment appears when the conclusion remains fixed while criteria move: only confirming evidence is sought, exits are postponed, or exposure is increased to defend the prior decision.
Useful review signals
Compare the original thesis with the current one, state what evidence would disprove it, and record every size and stop change. If no evidence could change the decision, the position is no longer being assessed under a falsifiable rule.
The disposition effect is one possible framework for holding losers. It cannot diagnose a person or one trade without a series of observations.
Sources
- Investor.gov, Behavioral Patterns of U.S. Investors — Summarizes the disposition effect, familiarity bias, and other documented patterns.
- CME Group, Trading Strategies in Your Trade Plan — Relates emotional management to written entry and exit criteria.
- CME Group, Position and Risk Management — Describes monitoring a position against profit and loss targets.