Very interesting Prof. Page. I am a 3rd year PhD student in Economics, interested in behavioral topics and have been struggling to deal with some of the points you write about in this post. I can't help but feel discouraged that some of behavioral economics has devolved into clever hair splitting, e.g. identifying a new bias in a new context, and that there are few policy implications that can be drawn from the research. As I start to narrow in on a dissertation topic (I am interested especially in the intersection of behavioral and environmental economics) do you have any advice as to how to avoid this trap?
Jul 8, 2023·edited Jul 8, 2023Liked by Lionel Page
I am a 4th-year Applied Psychology PhD student specializing in behavioral economics and Optimally Irrational is a book I wish existed at the start of my doctorate. My advisor is a hardcore Skinnerian and his approach to behavioral economics downplays cognitive biases while placing more emphasis on how behavior is selected by consequences in the environment. In other words, behavior is neither rational or irrational but adaptive to the context. Because of my training, I'd consider myself relatively immune from "bias bias". I have purchased the book and subscribed to the blog and I look forward to learning more from you.
Very interesting Prof. Page. I am a 3rd year PhD student in Economics, interested in behavioral topics and have been struggling to deal with some of the points you write about in this post. I can't help but feel discouraged that some of behavioral economics has devolved into clever hair splitting, e.g. identifying a new bias in a new context, and that there are few policy implications that can be drawn from the research. As I start to narrow in on a dissertation topic (I am interested especially in the intersection of behavioral and environmental economics) do you have any advice as to how to avoid this trap?
I am a 4th-year Applied Psychology PhD student specializing in behavioral economics and Optimally Irrational is a book I wish existed at the start of my doctorate. My advisor is a hardcore Skinnerian and his approach to behavioral economics downplays cognitive biases while placing more emphasis on how behavior is selected by consequences in the environment. In other words, behavior is neither rational or irrational but adaptive to the context. Because of my training, I'd consider myself relatively immune from "bias bias". I have purchased the book and subscribed to the blog and I look forward to learning more from you.