Behavioral economics applies psychological insights to economic markets and decision making. In this class, we will discuss the recent theoretical and empirical advances made in this increasingly important field of economics with a focus on behavioral development economics and observational data analysis. Being thoughtful about the role of psychology can lead to a greater understanding of how economic agents make decisions and how the economy works.
This course will utilize lectures, discussion, and problem sets to provide an introduction to the topic of behavioral economics. The primary goal of the class is to provide a basic understanding of the field and think about how one can do original research as a PhD student in this field.