Behavioral Economics Commons^™

Decision Field Theory For Human-Multi-Robot Collaboration: Human-Centric Decision-Making For Multi-Robot Systems, Ryan Mbagna Nanko

All Theses

At first glance, choosing between an apple and an orange appears to be a straightforward matter of personal taste; however, this seemingly simple preference opens a window into the multifaceted world of decision-making, revealing the complex interplay of cognitive processes, psychological, and behavioral-economic principles that guide our choices \cite{bandyopadhyayRoleAffectDecision2013}. By unpacking these nuanced perspectives, we uncover insights that can drive more effective human-robot interaction and collaboration.

Modeling human cognition requires understanding the evolution of choice utility and the influence of emotions. Decision Field Theory (DFT) stands out by capturing the fluctuating nature in human preferences over time, explaining why choices …

Pengaruh Emotional Intelligence, Locus Of Control, Risk Aversion, Dan Financial Literacy Terhadap Risky Investment Intention Di Indonesia, Sekar Savira Ramadhani, Maria Ulpah, Wardatul Adawiyah

Jurnal Manajemen dan Usahawan Indonesia

This study investigates how individual factors—namely emotional intelligence, external locus of control, risk aversion, and financial literacy—affect the intention to invest in risky financial instruments in Indonesia. The research explores both the direct and indirect effects of these factors on risky investment intentions. Data were collected from 507 respondents through an online questionnaire. The findings indicate that emotional intelligence, external locus of control, and financial literacy positively influence the intention to invest in risky assets, while risk aversion has a negative effect. Additionally, the analysis of indirect effects shows that financial literacy moderates the relationship between emotional intelligence and risk …

Qris Adoption And Utilization: Examining Gen Z’S Digital Payment Behavior Among Indonesian Vocational Students, Febri Andriyani, Beatrix Siagian, Pijar Suciati, Ajenk Citra

Jurnal Vokasi Indonesia

The rapid growth of digital payment systems has significantly influenced consumer behavior, particularly among Generation Z, who readily adopt cashless transactions. This study examines the adoption and usage of QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) as a payment method at the Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (Vokasi UI) canteen. Using a descriptive research design, data were collected from 145 respondents through a structured survey with Stratified Random Sampling to ensure representativeness. The findings reveal that 98% of respondents actively use QRIS, and 100% expressed confidence in understanding its functionality. Users rated QRIS as practical and reliable (100%) and secure (98%), …

The Implications Of Religiosity And Complementary Determinants On The Repurchase Intention Of Halal-Certified Food In Indonesia 2024, Jihan Luthfiyyah Siregar, Nurdin Sobari

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Manuscript Type: Research Article.

Research Aims: This study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework to examine the impact of religiosity on repurchase intentions for halal-certified food, incorporating factors such as subjective norms, awareness, trust, halal knowledge, halal certification, and perceived behavioral control.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Data were collected from 472 respondents through a purposive sampling survey in Indonesia, and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS v.3.2.9.

Research Findings: A total of 20 hypotheses were tested. The findings reveal that religiosity influences the mediators—halal knowledge, halal certification, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—which, in turn, shape attitudes and stimulate …

The Dynamics Of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach To Message Credibility And Consumer Engagement, Ali Nasirzonouzi, Carlos Gershenson

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing is a critical factor in the dissemination of information and adoption of products in social networks. This paper investigates the impact of two important factors message credibility and consumer engagement on WOM adoption dynamics using agent-based modeling (ABM). This study proposes a simple qualitative model to investigate how these factors influence adoption rates through both broadcast communication and peer-to-peer influence by simulating interactions on a spatially clustered network.

The findings show that increased message credibility significantly boosts adoption, achieving a balance between broadcast and social mechanisms. Also, consumer engagement primarily affects the adoption mechanism, shifting the effect …

Benefits Of Extended Unemployment Insurance On Post-Unemployment Outcomes, Alyssa Roche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how unemployment insurance (UI) affects individuals during and after unemployment. Drawing on historical evidence from recent recessions in the United States, publicly available data, behavioral insights, and mathematical modeling, it argues that the benefits of extending UI outweigh the potential costs. The analysis incorporates a wide range of sources, including empirical economic studies using regression models and psychology and business research that highlight behavioral responses to financial stress and job insecurity. By combining quantitative data with behavioral context, the thesis offers a more comprehensive understanding of how extended UI influences job search decisions, wage outcomes, and overall …

Examining The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Service Quality, Student Satisfaction, And Intention To Persist At Different Higher Education Institutions, Denise Hardesty, Aaron W. Hughey

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

Using a correlational research design, this quantitative, descriptive study was conducted at a two-year community college and a four-year public university. A modified version of the Perceived Service Quality (PSQ) instrument was used to survey full-time, undergraduate students at each institution to examine perceptinos of service quality and whether those perceptions impact a student's decision to return the next semester. Students at both institutions in the study reported a high level of satisfaction in all three primary dimensions of service quality; no significant differences were found to exist in the way in which service quality is perceived by students based …

Reducing Carbon Emissions Through Sustainable Food Consumption: Applying An A-S-I Framework On Beijing Residents, Xuan Yang, Jiaxin Zou, Jingyao Gao, Shu Yang

Student Publications

The food sector represents one of the largest contributors to global climate change, making it urgent for the public to transform their food consumption behavior. However, food consumption behaviors that can facilitate carbon reduction, and how to classify these behaviors from the perspective of behavioral science, have not been deeply explored. This study pioneers a novel categorization of carbon-mitigating food consumption behaviors based on an A-S-I framework (i.e., “Avoid” food loss and waste, “Shift” to low-carbon alternatives, and “Improve” dietary structure). Such a classification not only encompasses the full spectrum of emission-altering behaviors but also enables identification of common determinants …

Environmental-Friendly Consumption: Measuring The Impact Of Lifestyle On Household Carbon Emissions, Faisal Madjid Alyasa, Adam Hawari, Afif Akbar Syawala, Estro Dariatno Dariatno Sihaloho

Economics and Finance in Indonesia

In 2060, Indonesia aims for a clean, emissions-free society. However, achieving this goal requires understanding how lifestyle choices affect household carbon emissions. This study, based on data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey 2014, examines the impact of different diets (plant-based, vegetarian, Mediterranean, full meat-based, and mixed) on carbon emissions. Using Ordinary Least Square Panel Data Regression, the research finds that plant-based and vegetarian diets have a lower carbon footprint compared to mixed and full meat-based diets. The findings suggest that transitioning to more environmentally friendly consumption patterns can help reduce carbon emissions and benefit the environment.

Determinants Of Integration: Migration Difficulty, Mental Health, And Social Connections Among Eritrean Immigrants, Shewit Woldemichael

Master's Theses

This thesis explores how the experience of migration hardship affects integration outcomes of Eritrean migrants in the U.S. and the Netherlands. Using original survey data and the Immigration Policy Lab’s Integration Index (IPL-24), this paper investigated the intersection of economic, psychological, and social interactions that facilitate integration outcomes. This research finds that migration hardship doesn’t just make people’s lives more difficult; it breaks down the social ties and mental well-being that are essential for economic success measured by integration.

Bruni And Sugden On Market Virtues, Luís C. Calderón Gómez, Robert Talisse, John A. Weymark

Articles

According to classical liberalism, markets are instruments for the mutually advantageous voluntary exchange of goods and services among individuals who have conflicting interests. Some critics have used a virtue ethics understanding of behavior in markets to call for moral limits to markets because this classical view does not respect the internal value of human practices and the intrinsic motivations of individuals. In response, Luigino Bruni and Robert Sugden have offered a virtue ethics defense of markets, thereby “reclaiming virtue ethics for economics.” We argue that their account needs further elaboration and clarification before it is possible to assess the soundness …

Explaining The Satisfaction Of The Religious Tourist: The Case Of Maimonides In The City Of Cordoba, César Mora Márquez, Angelo Puccia

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism was one of the most severely affected sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic. Even religious tourism, traditionally less susceptible to market fluctuations, is now compelled to adopt innovative strategies in response to these effects. This article analyses the satisfaction of religious tourism, specifically its relationship with the figure of Maimonides, who is considered to be an important religious thinker and is included within the Pantheon database of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). A questionnaire was distributed and completed by 720 tourists in the city of Cordoba, Spain, which has close links to Maimonides. The findings indicated that the spirituality …

First Annual Advances In Business Education Conference 2025 Proceedings, Kelsey Metz, Joshua Ray

Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference Proceedings

Conference Overview: The First Annual Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference was held on May 16, 2025, at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Hosted by the LMU School of Business, the ABE Conference was established to promote teaching excellence through innovation and collaboration in business education. With a focus on fostering meaningful dialogue among educators, researchers, and students, the conference welcomed participants from across disciplines and institutions. The event was structured around three key tracks:

Pedagogy & Teaching Excellence: Showcasing innovative teaching methods and strategies for enhancing student learning and engagement.

Business Research: Presenting research focused on advancing knowledge …

Effective Altruism, In-Group Favoritism, And Urban And Rural Values Across Cultures, Brian Chu

Master's Theses

Effective altruism has become an increasingly fashionable philosophy in recent years, with ardent supporters in Silicon Valley and other echelons of power. This study investigates to what extent people in urban and rural settings in the U.S., South Africa, and India act as effective altruists by employing an experiment in which participants must decide how to divide a $100 donation between two charities, one benefiting 10 people in their in-group and the other, more “effective” charity, benefiting 100 people in their out-group. The results show some areas in which U.S. urban populations act much more effectively altruistic than others, perhaps …

The Hidden Logic Behind Migration And Success, Elsa Russom

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research paper explores the hidden drivers of financial success among Eritrean migrants navigating uncertainty, displacement, and limited institutional access. Drawing on original survey data collected from diaspora communities across East African host countries, I apply a mixed-methods framework combining ordinal and binary logistic regression, random forest classification, bootstrapping, and Bayesian causal mediation; to identify the structural and cultural variables most predictive of financial stability. The findings reveal that participation in Ekub, a traditional rotating savings association, and engagement in communal support systems are the strongest predictors of financial success, outperforming conventional factors such as age, education, or employment status. …

Learning Rules Under Asymmetric Information: A Cournot Market Experiment, Marshall H. Pentes

Honors Theses

I present the use of best response (BR) and imitation (IM) learning rules in experimental Cournot duopoly markets under asymmetric information. In treatment BR, one subject (called BR1) receives, after every round, information about their previous quantity choices, the previous market prices, their previous profits, the previous quantities of the the other firm in the market, and the previous Cournot best response to the quantity of the other firm. In treatment IM, one subject (called IM1) receives, after every round, information about the prior quantities of and profits of both firms in the market. The BR1 and IM1 subjects are …

Reinforcement Learning, Modeling Markets, And Professional Basketball Free Agency, Jacob Cohn

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

This dissertation presents a reinforcement learning-based approach to modeling and optimizing decision-making in professional basketball free agency and related economic environments. A Markov Decision Process (MDP) framework is introduced to capture the strategic interactions of NBA teams bidding for free agents under budgetary and roster constraints. To address computational scalability challenges, a reinforcement learning (RL) environment is developed, leveraging Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) to approximate optimal policies for team decision-making.

Empirical results demonstrate that the RL agent successfully learns strategic bidding behavior that aligns with dynamic programming benchmarks in simplified settings while scaling effectively to larger, intractable environments. The study …

Sociological Understandings Of Entrepreneurial Action And Intention, Jeffrey Cavanaugh

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Entrepreneurship as a trend has emerged across many different disciplines, drawing on theory from psychology, economics, and sociology. Importantly, sociologic aspects of entrepreneurship remain hidden from scholarship, as existing topics are often vague or narrowly partitioned. In my dissertation, I utilize sociological understandings of human interactions which define entrepreneurial intention and action. Specifically, I explore how entrepreneurs’ religion, rurality, and social media use influences their behaviors. Throughout these three quantitative essays, I contribute to a better understanding of the social psychology of entrepreneurship, and why entrepreneurial pursuits are so intricately linked to every aspect of society. Throughout my research, which …

The Switch: Determinants Of Family School Modality Choices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steicy Dorfi Lopez

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The K-12 system in the United States experienced substantial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to give an overview of public, private, and homeschooling enrollment decisions during the pandemic, the changes families made between types of schooling and identify familial characteristics associated with the probability of switching in and out of public education. Knowing more about the groups exiting and returning to the public school system can help public school districts better tailor policies to attract and retain their students. Socioeconomic factors influencing a change could be signs of increasing segregation. Using a discrete choice duration model, a …

Planting The Seed: Rumors And Ceo Dismissal, Diego Villalpando

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Researchers have investigated the short-term performance implications of CEO dismissals as assessed through investor reactions to CEO dismissal announcements. While the corporate governance mechanism of dismissal that boards orchestrate when CEOs underperform could be positively perceived by investors, empirical evidence suggests that a positive association between CEO dismissals and investor reactions is equivocal. Thus, in my dissertation, I examine investor reactions to S&P 500 dismissal announcements and further understanding about this intriguing relationship through the development of theory that incorporates the important theoretical mechanism of information uncertainty. Since it is increasingly hard for boards to reduce the information uncertainty surrounding …