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Principles of (Behavioral) Economics

Author

Listed:
  • David Laibson
  • John List

Abstract

There are many great ways to incorporate behavioral economics in a first-year undergraduate economics class-i.e., the course that is typically called "Principles of Economics." Our preferred approach integrates behavioral economics throughout the course (e.g., see Acemoglu, Laibson, and List 2015). With the integrated approach, behavioral content plays a role in many of the chapters of the principles of economics curriculum, including chapters on optimization, equilibrium, game theory, intertemporal choice, probability and risk, social preferences, household finance, the labor market, financial intermediation, monetary policy, economic fluctuations, and financial crises. We prefer the integrated approach because it enables the behavioral insights to show up where they are conceptually most relevant. By illustration, it is best to combine a discussion of downward nominal wage rigidity (i.e., the idea that workers strongly resist nominal wage declines) with the overall discussion of the labor market. Whether or not an instructor integrates behavioral economics throughout the principles of economics course, it makes sense to pull central materials together and dedicate a lecture (or more) to a focused discussion of behavioral economics. This note describes our approach to such a lecture, emphasizing six key principles of behavioral economics. Our choice of content for a behavioral lecture is motivated by three factors. First, we include ideas that are conceptually important. Second, we include material that is practically important and personally relevant to our students-we have found that such content resonates long after the course ends. Third, we include content that relates to what has been (or will be) taught in the rest of the course, and therefore serves as a complement. We want students to see that behavioral economics is an integrated part of economics, not a freak show that is isolated from "the standard ingredients" in the rest of the economics course. This paper summarizes our approach to such a focused behavioral lecture. In Section I, we define behavioral economics and place it in historical context. In Section II, we introduce six modular principles that can be used to teach behavioral economics. We provide PowerPoint notes on our home pages, which instructors should feel free to edit and use.

Suggested Citation

  • David Laibson & John List, 2015. "Principles of (Behavioral) Economics," Natural Field Experiments 00451, The Field Experiments Website.
    • Handle: RePEc:feb:natura:00451
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tanjim Hossain & John A. List, 2012. "The Behavioralist Visits the Factory: Increasing Productivity Using Simple Framing Manipulations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(12), pages 2151-2167, December.
    2. Nava Ashraf & Dean Karlan & Wesley Yin, 2006. "Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence From a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(2), pages 635-672.
    3. Frank Schilbach, 2019. "Alcohol and Self-Control: A Field Experiment in India," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(4), pages 1290-1322, April.
    4. David Laibson, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(2), pages 443-478.
    5. Guth, Werner & Schmittberger, Rolf & Schwarze, Bernd, 1982. "An experimental analysis of ultimatum bargaining," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 367-388, December.
    6. John A. List, 2003. "Does Market Experience Eliminate Market Anomalies?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(1), pages 41-71.
    7. Owen A. Lamont & Richard H. Thaler, 2003. "Can the Market Add and Subtract? Mispricing in Tech Stock Carve-outs," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(2), pages 227-268, April.
    8. Jonathan Gruber & Botond Köszegi, 2001. "Is Addiction "Rational"? Theory and Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(4), pages 1261-1303.
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    3. Ahmet Ak & Oner Gumus, 2019. "The Possible Effects of Personal Income Tax and Value Added Tax on Consumer Behaviors," Papers 1910.03141, arXiv.org.
    4. Bramblett, Paige N. & Fasczewski, Kimberly S. & Powell, Sara M., 2023. "Do it for the cause: Feasibility of a theory-based virtual 5 K walk/run program to increase physical activity behavior," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    5. Carminati, Lara, 2020. "Behavioural Economics and Human Decision Making: Instances from the Health Care System," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(6), pages 659-664.
    6. Chlond, Bettina & Goeschl, Timo & Kesternich, Martin & Werthschulte, Madeline, 2024. "Transporting behavioral insights to low-income household: A field experiment on energy efficiency investmen," ZEW Discussion Papers 24-079, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    7. Marie Briguglio & Charity-Joy Acchiardo & Dirk Mateer & Wayne Geerling, 2020. "Behavioral economics in film: Insights for educators," Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics (SABE), vol. 4(1), pages 17-28, December.
    8. Surajit Bag & Muhammad Sabbir Rahman & Gautam Srivastava & Peter Kilbourn & Nishikant Mishra, 2024. "Buyer–supplier partnerships and circular economy performance in food supply chains: Serial mediation by commitment contract and innovation performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1247-1264, February.
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    10. Gregory N. Price & Christopher Surprenant, 2026. "The effect of high school only financial education on financial literacy, financial knowledge, and adult financial outcomes: Some treatment effect evidence from the National Financial Capability Study," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), April.
    11. Shruti Rajagopalan, 2017. "Richard H. Thaler, Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 30(1), pages 137-141, March.
    12. Mohammad Tariq Al Fozaie, 2022. "Behavior and Socio-Economic Development: An Interdisciplinary Perspective," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 11, November.
    13. Ran Spiegler, 2019. "Behavioral Economics and the Atheoretical Style," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(2), pages 173-194, May.
    14. Malte F. Dold & Elias Emmerick, 2020. "Paul Dragos Aligica: Public entrepreneurship, citizenship, and self-governance," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 184(3), pages 467-472, September.
    15. Chlond, Bettina & Goeschl, Timo & Kesternich, Martin & Werthschulte, Madeline, 2024. "Transporting behavioral insights to low-income households: A field experiment on energy efficiency investments," Working Papers 0755, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    16. John A. List, 2022. "Enhancing critical thinking skill formation: Getting fast thinkers to slow down," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(1), pages 100-108, January.
    17. Apanisile Temitope Samuel, 2024. "The Effect of Quantitative Complexity Analysis on the Resilience of Nigerian Banks. Case Study: The Four Listed Nigerian Banks on the Premium Board of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) for the Year 2019 -2022," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(7), pages 17-71, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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