Experimental Economics Lunch Sparks Lively Discussion

Feb. 2, Experimental economics lunch sparks lively discussion - Funded by a grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE), and co-hosted by Chapman University and Reason Foundation, a lively luncheon discussion, “Experimental Economics and Economic Policy” was held last Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 in Argyros Forum.

Guests included members of Chapman’s Economic Science Institute (ESI), the Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman administration, senior staff at the Reason Foundation, a visitor from Harvard and also visitors who have served in political office. The discussion centered loosely around the broad question, “What is the relationship between experimental economics and economic policy?” and upon how experimental economists approach problems which may or may not eventually have policy implications. As one experimentalist stated, “We don’t assume we can start with the question, ‘What is good policy?’ and then reason through to specific policy, or try to design experiments that prove what we start out thinking or what a policy maker might want us to prove. We don’t start out with the assumption that the research will even have policy implications.”

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