Syllabus

Title
5276 Actors, Behaviours and Decision Processes
Instructors
Univ.Prof. Mag.Dr. Sigrid Stagl, M.S.
Contact details
stagl@wu.ac.at
Type
PI
Weekly hours
4
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
02/05/19 to 02/22/19
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Subject(s) Master Programs
Actors, Behaviours and Decision Processes
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Monday 02/25/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 02/28/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 03/07/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 03/14/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 03/21/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 03/28/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 04/04/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 04/11/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 05/02/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 05/09/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 05/16/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 05/23/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 06/06/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 06/13/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003
Thursday 06/27/19 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM D5.1.003

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Contents

This course focuses on the human element of the economic system. We examine a wide range of behavioural science theories from neo-classical economics, psychology, behavioural economics, sociology, and complexity economics to better understand how humans behave and make decisions that impact the economy, the environment, and society. The course focuses on the wide range of cases where people might make decisions that are inconsistent with standard economic theory and the assumptions of rational decision making. These cases include “irrational” patterns of thinking about money and investments, how expectations shape perception, economic and psychological analyses of dishonesty by honest people, how social and financial incentives work together (or against each other) in labour, and the role of self‐control and emotions (rather than cognition) in decision making. The course presents an interdisciplinary perspective on how to understand, research and change human behaviour.

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Learning outcomes

After completing this course students should be able to: 

- know selected socio-economic theories of human behaviour; 

- explain the different approaches to understanding and knowledge generation that underlie the different behavioural sciences;

- explain the different ontological and epistemological assumptions in different bodies of behavioural research and as used by different disciplinary experts;

- critically interrogate empirical evidence on human behaviour generated by use of different methods; 

- apply insights about human behaviour for the design of public policies.  

 
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Attendance requirements

TBC

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Teaching/learning method(s)

Inverted classroom approach:
a) Individual Outside-of-Class Activities (i.e. external video lectures, lecture slides, readings, recorded lecture-cases)
b) Group Work Outside-of-Class & In-Class Presentations
c) In-Class Activities (i.e. debates, discussions, group work; class room experiments; group presentations)

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Assessment
60% (4x15% Each) : Multiple-Choice Exams
40% Individual/Group project (TBC)
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Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

Entry requirements for the Program MSc Socio‐Ecological Economics and Policy.
Curiosity about human nature.

Last edited: 2019-02-25



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