Policymaking Insights from Behavioral Economics 
This Event Has Ended
September 2007
Behavioral economics is motivated by a range of empirical facts that are at apparent odds with assumptions of standard economic theory. But while behavioral approaches are becoming common in academia, it is unclear how behavioral models should inform economic policymaking in general, and central banking in particular. This conference, entitled "Implications of Behavioral Economics for Economic Policy," discussed the implications of behavioral economics for macroeconomic policy, with special attention to the regulatory and monetary policy responsibilities of central banks.
Contents
Complete book (448 pages)
1. Introduction
Behavioral Economics: Its Prospects and Promises for Policymakers Christopher L. Foote, Lorenz Goette, and Stephan Meier
2. Behavioral Aspects of Price Setting
Behavioral Aspects of Price Setting and Their Policy Implications Julio J. Rotemberg, with comments by Jonas D. M. Fisher and John Leahy
3. Household Savings Behavior
Household Savings Behavior in the United States: The Role of Literacy, Information, and Financial Education Programs Annamaria Lusardi, with comments by Alan S. Blinder and David I. Laibson
4. Fairness and the Labor Market
The Behavioral Economics of the Labor Market: Central Findings and Their Policy Implications Ernst Fehr, Lorenz Goette, and Christian Zehnder, with comments by George P. Baker and John A. List
5. Behavioral Economics and the Housing Market
U.S. House Price Dynamics and Behavioral Economics Christopher J. Mayer and Todd Sinai, with comments by Andrew Caplin and Robert J. Shiller
6. Should Central Banks Maximize Happiness?
Happiness, Contentment, and Other Emotions for Central Banks Rafael Di Tella and Robert MacCulloch, with comments by Alan B. Krueger and N. Gregory Mankiw
7. Behavioral Economics and Economic Policy in the Past and in the Future
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy: Reflections on the Past and Lessons for the Future James M. Poterba
Implications of Behavioral Economics for Monetary Policy Janet L. Yellen
Behavioral Economics as "Psychologically Informed" Economic Inquiry Lawrence H. Summers
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