The economics and psychology

of lifecycle decision-making

Theme coordinators: Peter Kooreman
Jan Potters

Participating researchers

Introduction
Lifecycle decisions - especially with regard to pensions and insurance - are increasingly left to individuals. This Netspar theme aims to expand our empirical knowledge about lifecycle decision-making. In order to make better models, predictions and recommendations, we need a better understanding of people's preferences, probability and risk perceptions, and decision strategies. In this theme's researchers use experiments from both economics and the social sciences to improve our knowledge of lifecycle decision-making. The theme is divided in six subprojects (see below).

Contribution to knowledge development

  • Main research findings:
    1. Subproject Savings and asset choice
    2. Subproject Solidarity
    3. Subproject Probability literacy and information in insurance markets
    4. Subproject Trust and financial choice
    5. Subproject Construing the future and financial choice
    6. Subproject Insurances, moral hazard, and the economic psychology of probability
  • Publications
  • Academic events and presentation

    Contribution to knowledge exchange

  • Sounding board and its meetings
  • Topical and other non-academic events and presentations
  • Theme conferences: February 10, 2010

    Contribution to human capital investment

  • MSc courses
  • Netspar - UM SBE Academy courses: April 14&15, 2010
  • Supervised theses