ECON 055. Behavioral Economics

In the past 50 years, economists have increasingly used insights from psychology to explore the limitations of the standard economic model of rational decision making - a field now known as “behavioral economics.” This course is an introduction to the central concepts of behavioral economics, touching on related research in psychology and experimental economics. We will also discuss the public policy implications of this work, and current policy applications of behavioral research around the world. Topics covered include: self-control, procrastination, fairness, cooperation and reciprocity, reference dependence, and choice under uncertainty.
Cannot receive credit for both ECON 055 and ECON 003.
Prerequisite: ECON 001.
Social sciences.
1 credit.
Eligible for GLBL-Core
Spring 2025. Bhanot.
Spring 2026. Bhanot.
Catalog chapter: Economics
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/economics

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