The Economics of Human Behavior

What influences the decisions we make every day? Is it logic or emotion? Traditional economics suggests we act rationally, but behavioral economics tells a different story. In this course, you will explore how human psychology and irrational behavior shape economic choices.

Through interactive, team-based activities, we will dive into cases that test and expand your understanding of economic theory. For instance, you’ll analyze why people fear losing €100 more than they celebrate winning the same amount, debate how salience impacts consumer behavior, and experiment with concepts like default options affecting choice character.

No prior knowledge is needed, but familiarity with basic economic concepts like utility maximization can be helpful. If you’re curious about economics, psychology, or decision-making, this course is for you. By the end, you’ll not only grasp the foundations of behavioral economics but also learn to approach economic problems from multiple perspectives and act as a policy-maker yourself.

Topics we’ll cover include:
An introduction to traditional and behavioral economics, loss aversion, salience, nudging, and more.

Lenka Duongova

Lenka is a third-year Economics and Business Economics student in the Netherlands. Born and raised in the Czech Republic with Vietnamese roots. She is passionate about making economics relatable and empowering students to think critically and creatively about real-world problems. With experience as a teaching assistant in Mathematics and Data Analytics, Lenka enjoys simplifying complex concepts into engaging lessons. Her academic interests include policy economics, behavioral economics, and sustainable development. Outside academics, Lenka is the founder of a cooking class business. In her free time, she enjoys painting, experimenting with recipes, and watching Korean dramas. Through engaging and interactive sessions, Lenka hopes to inspire students to think creatively and have fun while learning.

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