Top behavioral economics at NHH

tungodden niederle
- I totally love your article "Do women shy away from competition? Do but compete too much?", said Professor Bertil Tungodden in his introduction to Standford-professor Muriel Niederle.
NHH By Sigrid Folkestad

1 September 2016 19:38

(updated: 1 September 2016 19:58)

Top behavioral economics at NHH

New European research in behavioral economics. Four highly interesting keynote speakers: The three-day ESA conference at NHH is underway.

tungodden opens esa
Professor Bertil Tungodden, The Choice Lab, opens ESA 2016. Photo: Helge Skodvin

The behavioral economists at NHH, The Choice Lab, are hosting the conference, which is organized every year by members of the Economic Science Association (ESA), a professional organization for scientists who use experiments in the study of economic behavior.

Alexander W. Cappelen and Ingvild Almås, The Choice Lab, talking with NHH Rector Frøystein Gjesdal. Photo: Foto: Helge Skodvin

Wide field

– Now we have finally begun, and it feels good. It is fantastic to work with some of the world's best in behavioral economics, says Professor Bertil Tungodden. He is head of ESA conference program committee.

Tungodden and the committee are very happy for having four high profiled keynote speakers (see below), among them Matthew Rabin, a professor of behavioral economics at Harvard, at the conference. A future Nobel Memorial Prize Winners in Economic Science, according to Tungodden and several other experts in behavioral economics.

Thursday was first conference day, with thematic sessions like:

  • Trust
  • Market & Information
  • Finance
  • Dishonesty
  • Neuroeconomics & Self-control
  • Gender

Professor Muriel Niederle at the Department of Economics at Stanford University was invited to hold one of the keynotes at ESA. She is a leading researcher in behavioral economics.

muriel niederle
Professor at Stanford Muriel Niederle: "Gender Agenda - or From the Lab to the Field to Policy" Photo: Helge Skodvin

- And I totally love your article Do women shy away from competition? Do but men compete too much ?, said Tungodden in his introduction to Niederle.

All welcome to ESA

The conference is a good illustration of what is happening among European behavioral economists.

- The presentations at ESA are representative of new research in this field. Most of the active behavioral economists in Europe are visiting Bergen these days. In addition, we have invited some top researchers from the United States.

r falch
PhD student Ranveig Falch (The Choice Lab): "Do we consider it more acceptable when males fall behind than w hen females do?" Photo: Helge Skodvin

If people want to know what's going on, Tungodden says, they should drop by, says Tungodden.

Full-fledge

- Behavioral economics is no longer an emerging field of research, but fully established at universities and business schools?

Almost 200 presentations and a few coffee breaks. Photo: Helge Skodvin

- It has been an academically strong research area that will continue to grow and become even more integrated into other disciplines. Today it has almost become a full-fledged part of economic research, with our methodology and way of thinking.

Many of Choice Lab-researches will present at ESA. Besides several of the group's PhD students, both Tungodden, Alexander W. Cappelen and Kjetil Bjorvatn will share their latest research achievements.

Finance Professor Karin S. Thorburn.
Finance Professor at NHH Karin S. Thorburn: "Does gender‐balancin g the board reduce firm value?" Photo: Helge Skodvin

Finance Professor Karin Thorburn and Associate Professor Trond Døskeland (Department of Business and Management Science) are two other NHH researchers attending the ESA Conference presenting their studies.