EXPERIMENTAL ECONOMICS

Academic year
2024/2025 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
EXPERIMENTAL ECONOMICS
Course code
EM1511 (AF:506352 AR:293808)
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Master's Degree Programme (DM270)
Educational sector code
SECS-P/01
Period
2nd Term
Course year
2
Where
VENEZIA
This course provides students with practical insights into how economic theories are tested and validated through experiments. It enhances analytical skills and empirical understanding, crucial for making informed decisions in economics, finance, and sustainability contexts.
By the end of this course, students will be able to describe, discuss and analyze economic experiments. They will understand the role of experimental methods in testing economic theories and will be able to critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of experimental evidence. This woudl be the first step to design and conduct meaningful experiments.
The course is meant to be introductory. A working understanding of microeconomics, basic statistics and knowledge of behavioral economics are recommended.
Week 1: Introduction to Experimental Economics (definition and scope, history and significance, laboratory vs. field experiments, key principles of experimental design)
Week 2: Market Experiments (market behaviour, case studies)
Week 3: Social Preferences and Public Goods (altruism, fairness, reciprocity, free-riding, experimental evidence on public goods provision)
Week 4: A primer of strategic behavior (coordination games, trust and ultimatum games)
Week 5: Applications and Policy Implications
"Experimental Economics" by Nicolas Jacquemet and Olivier L'Haridon, Cambridge University Press, 2021. Reading list and handouts by the professor.
Grades are based on class participation, a mid-term assignment and a final written report (12 to 15 pages of text) on a simple experiments or a case-study. Details will be given during the course. As a guideline, an adequate quality of the report is needed to get a passing grade (i.e., participation and good results in the midterm alone may not compensate for a poor final report).
Lectures and group discussions.
English
The moodle page will contain detailed information. The Departiment of Economics has a an experimental lab that may be visited in one of the classes, see also https://unive.it/pag/41566/ for a description of the facility.
written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development

Goal 3: good health and well-being
Goal 4: quality education
Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 28/06/2024