Behavioral Science and Public Policy

Behavioral science applies psychological insights to economic and mathematical theories of decision making. In this class, we will discuss the recent theoretical and empirical advances made in the field. Being thoughtful about the role of psychology can lead to a greater understanding of how economic agents make decisions, how the economy works, and how policy decisions will affect people. This course will utilize lectures, discussion, group interactions, and problem sets to provide an introduction to the topic of behavioral science. The primary goal of the class is to provide knowledge about the field and begin to explore how the topic might impact policy decisions in various contexts.