Psychology of Decisions
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course provides a fundamental understanding of the processes related to human decision both in daily life and in professional fields. The student will learn the psychological, cognitive and neuropsychological mechanisms that influence individual and group decision-making. During the lessons, normative and descriptive theories of decision-making will be analyzed and discussed. The program will focus on bounded rationality by Herbert Simon, and heuristic and bias paradigm by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky to explain the psycho-cognitive architecture of choice.
Expected learning outcomes
After completing this course, the student:
- will be acquired the fundamental knowledge and expertise on normative and descriptive theories on judgement and decision-making;
- will be acquired a understanding of the psycho-cognitive and social mechanisms behind to decision-making, both at individual and group level;
- will be able to analyze and discuss advanced issues in contemporary research on decision-making and their potential applications in real world;
- will be able to analyze in critically way theories and empirical methods used in the decision-making field;
- will have developed strong theoretical knowledge and reasoning skills about decision-making processes in different application domains.
- will be acquired the fundamental knowledge and expertise on normative and descriptive theories on judgement and decision-making;
- will be acquired a understanding of the psycho-cognitive and social mechanisms behind to decision-making, both at individual and group level;
- will be able to analyze and discuss advanced issues in contemporary research on decision-making and their potential applications in real world;
- will be able to analyze in critically way theories and empirical methods used in the decision-making field;
- will have developed strong theoretical knowledge and reasoning skills about decision-making processes in different application domains.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Course syllabus
o Normative Theories: Theory of the Expected Utility
o The Bounded Rationality Theory
o Descriptive Theories: Prospect Theory - Heuristics and biases
o Dual-Process Theory
o Emotions e Decision-making
o The Nudge
o Risk perception
o The Bayes' theorem
o Counterfactual reasoning and regret
o Neurobiological basis of decision-making
o Group decision-making
o The decision-making in real word and in different contexts
o The Bounded Rationality Theory
o Descriptive Theories: Prospect Theory - Heuristics and biases
o Dual-Process Theory
o Emotions e Decision-making
o The Nudge
o Risk perception
o The Bayes' theorem
o Counterfactual reasoning and regret
o Neurobiological basis of decision-making
o Group decision-making
o The decision-making in real word and in different contexts
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is needed.
Teaching methods
Lectures will be accompanied by group work, time for reflection and collective discussion.
Teaching Resources
Learning material will be provided at the beginning of the course
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam with multiple choices and open questions.
M-PSI/01 - GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Shifts:
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