Decisions and Behavior

MIA & MPA Leadership and Management II Core. This course introduces students to the field of behavioral economics and the study of individual decision-making. Students will examine how behavior often departs from standard rational models and consider the implications for public policy and management. The course begins with the economic concept of rationality, then proceeds to evidence on systematic deviations, including impatience, framing, reference dependence, and social preferences. Class meetings will incorporate in-class experiments, discussions, and analyses of empirical research. The course concludes with applications to policy design and organizational practices. Students will prepare presentations, participate in recitations, and either develop a policy proposal or complete a final exam to demonstrate their understanding of behavioral approaches to decision-making.