Behavioural and experimental economics
Standard economic models assume people make rational decisions that prioritise their own needs and interests. Our research in behavioural and experimental economics extends this view by looking at how psychological, emotional and social factors affect economic decision making.
Some of the issues we explore include whether people make riskier investments for others, if gender biases influence the labour market, and whether penalties reduce speeding on the motorway. By understanding human behaviour in these contexts, we can help governments create more effective legislation.
We collaborate with researchers from more than 30 institutions in 12 countries, and our research has been funded by the British Academy, the German Science Foundation and the Central Bank of the Netherlands.
Project highlights
We collaborated with the University of Rosario, Colombia to increase public support for projects such as waste incinerators by raising people’s awareness of environmental benefits.
We're working on a joint project with researchers from Radboud University in the Netherlands, funded by the British Academy, to develop a new theoretical framework that improves decision making when decision makers can lie to gain a profit for themselves or others. The findings are likely to have a positive impact in areas such as financial investment, brokerage, tax advice and accountancy.
We're researching how gender bias in teaching evaluations can affect academics’ careers and prevent higher education institutions from making fair hiring decisions.
Recent publication highlights
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Incentives and gender in a multitask setting
An experimental study with real-effort tasks (2019). Murad, Z., Stavropoulou, C. and Cookson, G. PLoS One.
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Speeding responses to a ‘notched’ penalty scheme (2018). Traxler, C., Westermaier, F. G. and Wohlschlegel, A. Journal of Public Economics, 157, 78-94.
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Responsibility and limited liability in decision making for others: an experimental consideration
Journal of Economic Psychology, 2019, Sascha Füllbrunn, Dr Wolfgang Luhan
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Real-time tacit bargaining, payoff focality, and coordination complexity
Experimental evidence (2017). Luhan, W., Poulsen, A. and Roos, M. Games and Economic Behavior, 102, 687-699.
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Full agreement and the provision of threshold public goods (2016)
Alberti, F. and Cartwright, E. J. Public Choice, 166(1), 205-233.
Discover our areas of expertise
Research groups
Interested in a PhD in Economics?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Economics postgraduate research degrees page.