(MONEY Magazine) – More and more brokers are urging clients to take quickie psychological quizzes to determine ''your investment personality.'' No matter what your broker says, these tests usually are mostly for his benefit. Any insights into your psyche can help him fine-tune his sales spiel and earn more commissions. Sometimes, though, a quiz can benefit you as well -- especially if it gives you a better understanding of your risk comfort level. All too often, says investor-behavior expert Marilyn MacGruder Barnewall, people let greed mislead them into taking higher risks with their money than they should. Guided by Baruch Fischhoff, a professor of psychology and decision-making at Carnegie-Mellon University, Money designed this quiz to help you determine your own comfort zone.

1) A friend hints that Super Growth Cat Chow is about to acquire Mega-Mice Inc. The tip sounds irresistible, but your pal has been wrong before (more than a few times, now that you think about it). If you buy Super Growth and your shares slump, would you feel: a) Like a jerk? b) Somewhat sheepish; you can live with the loss, but you probably won't tell your spouse? c) That nothing ventured is nothing gained? 2) You are all set to invest $5,000 in an equipment-leasing limited partnership, and your money will be locked away for at least 10 years. Once the deal is done, will you think: a) ''Isn't there some way that I can back out?'' b) ''Everything is going to be all right . . . I think.'' c) ''Great!'' 3) You own 50 shares of Locust Valley Lockjaw, a blue-chip stock with a vertical track record. The Dow was off 2% yesterday and another 3% today -- but Locust has fallen even more. What do you say to yourself in the middle of the night? a) ''Two more points, and I'm outta here.'' b) ''Think my broker will mind if I wake him up?'' c) ''Should I play tennis tomorrow -- or golf?'' 4) A few months ago, you bought $10,000 worth of 30-year Treasury bonds, expecting interest rates to drop and give you a big profit. But several well- known economists have just predicted that rates are about to rise. Are you: a) On the verge of bailing out? b) So distracted by the forecast that you can't concentrate on your job? c) Holding tight?

It doesn't matter if you are a buy-and-hold investor or a trader, Fischhoff says. If you didn't answer ''C'' on all the questions, you should carefully weigh the emotional toll before investing. It's possible that you can't stomach the anxiety of losing money, even temporary paper losses. ''You may want to chain yourself to the mast,'' he says, and buy mutual funds or hire a professional to manage your money. ''Be honest about how you might feel if something unexpected happens in the market,'' he says. ''It will.''