course-details-portlet

SØK2012

Behavioral Economics

Credits 7.5
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

The course assumes that individuals are not fully rational and motivated only by strict self-interest. Behavioral economics modifies the standard assumptions in economics, and takes into account that human rationality has its limitations and that people often have complex motives for what they do. Insights from psychology and neuroscience are used to modify the standard assumptions by including moral considerations, social interaction, attitudes to risk, etc. Examples of topics covered in the course: - Theory of decision-making behavior - Decisions under uncertainty and risk assessment - Decisions over time - Social preferences and justice - Game theory (strategic behavior?)

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You learn

  • about important contributions from other fields of study to economics
  • about how modified conditions can explain economic phenomena that can not be predicted from rationally optimizing behavior and what consequences this has for resource allocation and pricing about different games and methods and implications for financial outcomes

Skills

You should be able to

  • understand and describe modified behavioral assumptions and explain how they affect financial outcomes
  • critically explain the consequences of modified allocation prerequisites for resource allocation and pricing.

General competence:

You should be able to

  • know important contributions to behavioral economics and be able to critically assess the importance of these for financial decisions
  • to use insight from behavioral economics to critically evaluate economic claims presented in public debat

Learning methods and activities

2 hours of lectures every week and 2 hours of practical assignments every other week. The course has compulsory activity. Specific requirements will be announced at the beginning of the term.

Compulsory assignments

  • Term papers and/or exercises.

Further on evaluation

In semester when the course is not taught, the examination form may change from written to oral.

Compulsory activity must be completed in the semester the course is taught. The approval also applies to later semesters.

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Announced at the beginning of the term.

Subject areas

  • Social Science
  • Economics
  • Social Sciences
  • Economics

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Economics

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code H Date 2025-11-19 Time 09:00 Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room for school exam

The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Sluppenvegen 14
Room SL110 lilla sone
64 candidates
Room SL110 hvit sone
57 candidates
Room SL111 grønn sone
50 candidates
Room SL111 brun sone
53 candidates

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code H Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.