Economics 397BE - ST- Behavioral Economics
Fall
2021
01
3.00
Diane Flaherty
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
UMass Amherst
13258
Herter Hall room 119
gibson@econs.umass.edu
The course introduces students to behavioral economics as a method of analysis that incorporates insights from several disciplines, including psychology and sociology, into the basic economic model of decision-making. Behavioral economics broadens the scope of analysis of how people make decisions to take into account, for example, social norms, the role of trust and the prevalence of biases. By unpacking the varied and complex motivations behind decision-making, behavioral economics enriches the standard economic model. Viewing decision-making through the methods and insights of behavioral economics develops an understanding of why decisions that the standard economic model may call irrational may be, in context, perfectly rational.
Open only to Econ/STPEC/ResEc/MgrEcon primary majors until after juniors enroll, then open to all on April 14th.
Subtitle: Introduction to the Economics of Decision-Making