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Behavioral Economics and the Atheoretical Style

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  • Spiegler, Ran

Abstract

Behavioral economics is perceived by many to be part of a general shift in the culture of economics toward a less theoretical style. I present a critical discussion of certain manifestations of this trend: a preference for an anecdotal style of exposition (illustrated by Akerlof and Shiller's Phishing for Phools), reduced-form modeling (illustrated by Campbell's Ely Lecture), and the method of capturing psychological forces using parametric modifications of conventional functional forms. I argue that the subject of "psychology and economics" is intrinsically foundational, and that a pure-theory component is essential for it to realize its transformative potential.

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  • Spiegler, Ran, 2017. "Behavioral Economics and the Atheoretical Style," CEPR Discussion Papers 11786, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:11786
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    Cited by:

    1. Bachi, Benjamin & Spiegler, Ran, 2018. "Buridanic competition," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 298-315.
    2. Karpov, Aleksandr, 2017. "Price competition and limited attention," Economics Discussion Papers 2017-89, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    3. Grislain-Letrémy, Céline & Villeneuve, Bertrand, 2020. "The ground for negotiation: Zoning for risk reduction around hazardous plants," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 657-677.
    4. Philippe Jehiel, 2022. "Analogy-Based Expectation Equilibrium and Related Concepts:Theory, Applications, and Beyond," Working Papers halshs-03735680, HAL.
    5. Glenn W. Harrison & Jia Min Ng, 2019. "Behavioral insurance and economic theory: A literature review," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 133-182, July.
    6. Sebastian Krugel & Matthias Uhl, 2021. "The Behavioral Economics of Intrapersonal Conflict: A Critical Assessment," Papers 2101.12526, arXiv.org.
    7. Rommel, Florian & Urban, Janina, 2022. "A Survey of German Economics," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264131, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Urban, Janina & Rommel, Florian, 2020. "German economics: Its current form and content," Working Paper Series 56, Cusanus Hochschule für Gesellschaftsgestaltung, Institut für Ökonomie.

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    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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