ECON30270

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the course, students should have a broad understanding of the field and, in particular:
• Understand key theoretical concepts in behavioural economics.
• Understand how to evaluate empirical evidence from behavioural research.
• Be able to critically evaluate the role of behavioural research in informing public policy.

Indicative Module Content:

The course will cover the following topics:
• Methodology
• Deviations from Rational Choice Under Certainty
• Probability Theory, Heuristics, and Biases
• Prospect Theory, Reference Dependence, and Mental Accounting
• Intertemporal Choice
• Social Preferences
• Role of Social Identities in Decision Making
• Behavioural Game Theory
• Nudging

Student Effort Hours:

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

The module is driven by recent research in behavioural economics. The lectures provide a survey of key topics and methods used in the field. Students are encouraged to engage with a range of materials (published papers, books, videos) and to take a hands-on approach, learning through problem solving, critical discussion, and participation in mock experiments.

The lecture will be delivered in-person and students will have the opportunity to participate in interactive classroom experiments using their smartphones. This technology-enhanced approach allows students to experience an economic decision problem, work on a solution, and receive real-time feedback, promoting active and experiential learning.

The use of AI for any purpose is not allowed in this module.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Learning Recommendations:

There are no formal pre-requisites for the course. However, this is a third-level economics course and students are expected to have at least basic knowledge of microeconomics and game theory.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy

 

Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will be given individual feedback in the form of grades for the exams. There will be group/class feedback following the intermediate exam.

There is no textbook that covers all of the course material. The first part of the course (Week 1 - Week 9) will draw heavily on the textbook by:
Erik Angner (2021). A Course in Behavioral Economics. Third Edition. Palgrave McMillan. Any edition of the textbook is fine. A few copies are available in the UCD library (there is also a limited online library access to the textbook). The latter part of the course will be based mostly on research papers.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.