Seminar: Behavioral Economics in Action (winter/summer)
- Alternative course title in FLIP & WueStudy: Seminar: Labour Economics
- Course number: 10145400
- Level: Bachelor
- Semester: Winter / Summer
- Language: English
- Credits: 5 ECTS
About the course
Why do we pay for subscriptions we barely use? Why do we often eat unhealthy food, exercise too little, or procrastinate on important tasks? Why do individuals fail to claim social benefits they are entitled to? Should firms make co-workers’ wages transparent, or keep them secret? How can cities reduce littering without simply raising fines? Do “free trials” help consumers, or do they exploit them?
Over the past decades, psychologists and economists have gained a deeper understanding of what motivates people’s choices. Research in behavioral economics shows that individual choices are shaped not only by incentives and constraints, but also by limited attention, self-control problems, social preferences, and the behavior of others. These insights have fundamentally changed how economists think about consumer behavior, management practices, and public policy.
This seminar explores how insights from behavioral economics can be applied to real-world problems in consumer decision-making, organizations, and public policy. Students work on a concrete policy or management question, engage with relevant empirical research in behavioral economics, identify the key psychological mechanisms at play, and propose a plausible intervention to address the problem.
The seminar is highly application-oriented and interactive. It is particularly well suited for students who are interested in using behavioral economics to design better policies, smarter organizations, or more effective interventions. Students are encouraged to develop project ideas that can later be extended, refined, and tested in their Bachelor’s thesis.
Prerequisites
The seminar does not require specific previous knowledge of behavioral economics. Students should have a sound knowledge of microeconomic theory and econometrics (basic courses taught at the B.Sc. level). It is also recommended to familiarize yourself with the content of the key qualification “Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten” in advance.
Examination and Grading
Grading is based on the seminar paper (max. 10–15 pages) and the workshop presentation (approx. 20 minutes), weighted 3:2 (paper 60%, presentation 40%).
Course registration, timeline, and procedures
- For further information about the timeline and procedures for the currrent semester, please download the overview under "Further information" below.
- The seminar can be combined with writing a Bachelor thesis at Prof. Altmann's chair, either in the same semester or in the subsequent semester. If you are interested in combining the seminar and thesis, please note this in your application and apply for both modules, if relevant.
- Information about the course registration can be found HERE
Further information (Summer 2026)
