Economists have traditionally viewed consumers as relentless robots making rational choices. A vast body of evidence contradicts this notion of homo economicus and documents how limitations in self-control, memory, and attention systematically affect consumers’ choices. As the influence of these and further biases on the behaviour of ‘boundedly rational’ consumers is predictable, there is scope for a new behavioural approach to consumer policy. But should a behaviourally informed consumer policy respond to consumers’ biased choices, and if so, how? Should policy just focus on equipping smart consumers with better information to make more rational, deliberate choices? Or should we forget about such nanny state paternalism and leave consumers to the free, unregulated market?

The Behavioural Insights Series at the Hertie School of Governance will discuss these and related questions with leading experts from the field.

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Previous Events

October 18, 2017

Daniel Alberto Anavitarte Santillana (Ministerio de Educación, Perú)

MineduLAB - an innovation lab for education policy
Location
Hertie School of Governance Friedrichstr. 180, Room 2.61 10117 Berlin
Time 12:00–13:00
April 20, 2017

Eva van den Broek (Wageningen Economic Research & Behavioural Insights Team, Dutch Ministry of Economics)

Behavioral Policy Making in the Netherlands
Location
Hertie School of Governance Friedrichstr. 180, Forum A 10117 Berlin
Time 18:00–19:30
April 14, 2016

Michael Hallsworth (UK Behavioural Insights Team)

Applying Behavioural Insights to Policy: A View From the UK
Location
Hertie School of Governance Friedrichstr. 180, Room 3.61 10117 Berlin
Time 18:00–19:15
April 30, 2015

Paul Heidhues (ESMT)

Consumer Exploitation in Competitive Markets
Location
Hertie School of Governance Friedrichstraße 180 10117 Berlin
Time 18:00–19:30
April 20, 2015

Lucia Reisch (CBS)

Consumer Behaviour and Behavioural Consumer Policy
Location
Hertie School of Governance Friedrichstraße 180 10117 Berlin
Time 17:00–18:30