Science of Behavior Change
Course content
Over the last 30 years, behavioral scientists have gained a deeper understanding of what motivates people, how they process information, and what non-economic features of the choice environment influence decisions. Many of their insights challenge traditional assumptions such as rationality, self-interest, time consistency. This research program (sometimes called “Behavioral Economics” or “Psychology and Economics”) has shed light on how people’s decisions deviate from “optimal” choices and the consequences of such deviations. But how can we use this knowledge in practice? How can we get people to save more money, have a better education, work harder, save energy, engage in healthy behaviors, and, more generally, make better decisions?
This course allows the student to develop hands-on approach by learning and applying the methods of behavioral economics to public policy. We will review research on human decision making from psychology, political science, organizational behavior and economics and we will look for easy‐to‐implement solutions. At the end of this course, students will be able to identify human biases and creatively design behavioral interventions, policies or products that help people make better decisions.
MSc programme in Economics – elective course
Bacheloruddannelsen i økonomi – valgfag på 3. år
The Danish BSc programme in Economics - elective at the 3rd year
The course is open to:
- Exchange and Guest students from abroad
- Credit students from Danish Universities
- Open University students
Full-degree students enrolled at the Faculty of Social Science, UCPH
- Bachelor and Master Programmes in Psychology
- Master Programmes in Political Science and Social Science
- Master Programme in Security Risk Management
- Master Programme in Social Data Science
- Master Programme in Global Development
- Master Programme in Sociology
Enrolled students register the course through the Selfservice. Please contact the study administration at each programme for questions regarding registration.
After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:
Knowledge:
- Discuss the theory and applications of the main policy instruments to change behavior, including behavioral instruments such as nudges.
- Reflect on how biases and heuristics can affect human decision-making.
Skills:
- Apply the tools of behavioral science to changing specific behaviors and compare their effectiveness.
- Debate and discuss critically several interventions that have been conducted to change people’s behavior including the domains of energy efficiency, health and well-being, education, work performance, charitable giving, saving, voting and development.
Competences:
- Examine (real-world) cases where people make decisions that are inconsistent with the assumptions of rational decision making and identify the consequences of this irrational behavior for the society.
- Design policy interventions aiming at ameliorate societal well-being and improve people’s life.
The course is divided in two parts:
- Part 1 “Principles and Methods”: This part consists of classic
lectures where the lecturer presents the main policy instruments to
changing behavior and reviews how behavioural biases and heuristics
affect decision making.
- Part 2 “Applications”: We will discuss and analyse a different
applied topic in each lecture. In Part 2, for each lecture, we will
have a group of students (5-10 students) in prepare a lecture for
the group. These students are in charge to actively engage other
students in the learning/discussion process.
Students have to read critically several papers. A full reading list will be uploaded on Absalon.
Papers include:
- Johnson, E. J., & Goldstein, D. G. (2003). Do defaults save lives? Science, 302, 1338-1339.
- Milkman, K. L., Beshears, J., Choi, J. J., Laibson, D., & Madrian, B. C. (2011). Using implementation intentions prompts to enhance influenza vaccination rates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(26), 10415-10420.
- Blanco, F. (2017). Cognitive Bias. In J. Vonk, and T.K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. New York: Springer.
- Rabin, M. (2002). A perspective on psychology and economics. European Economic Review, 46(4-5), 657-685.
- Kling, J. R., Congdon, W. J., & Mullainathan, S. (2011). Policy and choice: public finance through the lens of behavioral economics. Brookings Institution Press. Only Chapter 2 (“ Psychology and Economics”, pp. 17-39).
- Chabris, C. F., Laibson, D. I., & Schuldt, J. P. (2006). Intertemporal choice. The new Palgrave dictionary of economics, 2.
- Duckworth, A. L., Milkman, K. L., & Laibson, D. (2018). Beyond willpower: Strategies for reducing failures of self-control. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19(3), 102-129.
- Madrian, B. C. (2014). Applying Insights from Behavioral Economics to Policy Design. Annual Review of Economics, 6(1), 663-688.
- Gneezy, U., Meier, S., & Rey-Biel, P. (2011). When and why incentives (don't) work to modify behavior. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 25(4), 191-210.
- Samson, A. and Gneezy U. (2019) The Behavioral Economics Guide 2019. Only “Incentives and Behavior Change”, pp. VII-XI.
- Richburg-Hayes, et al. (2014). Behavioral Economics and Social Policy: Designing Innovative Solutions for Programs Supported by the Administration for Children and Families. OPRE Report No. 2014-16a.
- Ly, K., Mažar, N., Zhao, M., & Soman, D. (2013). A practitioner’s guide to nudging. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
- Imai K. (2005). Get out the Vote Do Phone Calls to Encourage Voting Work? Why Randomize?
- Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The constructive, destructive, and reconstructive power of social norms. Psychological Science, 18(5), 429-434.
- Goldstein, N. J., Cialdini, R. B., & Griskevicius, V. (2008). A room with a viewpoint: Using social norms to motivate environmental conservation in hotels. Journal of consumer Research, 35(3), 472-482.
- Allcott, H. (2011). Social norms and energy conservation. Journal of Public Economics, 95(9), 1082-1095.
The course requires that students read several scientific papers
and have some knowledge of microeconomics and econometrics.
It is recommended that students have followed or are following a
similar course as "Microeconomics III" from the Study of
Economics, University of Copenhagen.
It is recommended that students have followed the summer school
"Behavioral Experimental Economics" or similar, at the
Study of Economics, University of Copenhagen, before taking Science
of Behavior Change.
Schedule:
3 hours lectures ones a week from week 36 to 50 (except week
42).
The students receive oral collective feedback during the lectures.
Each student receives peer feedback on the mandatory lectures in part 2.
For enrolled students: Rules etc at Master(UK) and Master(DK)
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
- Full-degree students – sign up at Selfservice on KUnet
- Exchange and guest students from abroad – sign up through Mobility Online and Selfservice- read more through this website.
- Credit students from Danish universities - sign up through this website.
- Open University students - sign up through this website.
The dates for the exams are found here Exams – Faculty of Social Sciences - University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Please note that it is your own responsibility to check for overlapping exam dates
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
On-site written exam, 2 hours under invigilation
- Type of assessment details
- ITX-exam in the exam venues of the university.
- Examination prerequisites
-
To qualify for the exam the student must no later than the given deadlines during the course
- Have approved one mandatory group lecture on an applied topic in part 2 of the course.
- Aid
- No aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
-
Exam information:
The examination date can be found in the exam schedule here
Exact time and place is available in Digital Exam from the middle of the semester.
More information about examination, rules, aids etc. is available at Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor(DK).
- Re-exam
-
Same as ordinary exam.
Reexam information:
The reexamination date/period can be found in the reexam schedule here
Exact time and place is available in Digital Exam in February.
More information at Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor(DK).
Criteria for exam assessment
Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.
In order to obtain the top grade "12", the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.
In order to obtain the passing grade “02”, the student must in a satisfactory way be able to demonstrate a minimal acceptable level of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Preparation
- 162
- Exam
- 2
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- AØKA08218U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
Bachelor
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Autumn
- Price
-
Information about admission and tuition fee: Master and Exchange Programme, credit students and guest students (Open University)
- Capacity
- 50 students
- Studyboard
- Department of Economics, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Economics
- Department of Anthropology
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Political Science
- Social Data Science
- Department of Sociology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Christina Gravert (3-6563694267657170306d7730666d)
Teacher
See 'Course Coordinators'.
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Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende