Master
2024/2025
Introduction to Neuroeconomics: How the Brain Makes Decisions
Type:
Elective course (Applied Social Psychology)
Area of studies:
Psychology
Delivered by:
School of Psychology
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
1 year, 4 module
Mode of studies:
distance learning
Online hours:
36
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Alisia Vorobyova
Master’s programme:
Applied Social Psychology
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
6
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Economics, psychology, and neuroscience are converging today into a unified discipline of Neuroeconomics with the ultimate aim of creating a single, general theory of human decision-making. Neuroeconomics provides biologists, economists, psychologists and social scientists with a deeper understanding of how they make their own decisions and how others decide. Neuroscience, when allied with psychology and economics, creates powerful new models to explain why we make decisions. Neurobiological mechanisms of decision-making, decisions under risk, trust and cooperation will be central issues in this course. You will be provided with the most recent evidence from brain-imaging techniques (fMRI, TMS, etc.) and introduced to the explanatory models behind them. The course does not require any prior study of economics and neuroscience; however, it might require you to study novel interdisciplinary materials. The course provides an introduction to the methodology, assumptions, and main findings of Neuroeconomics. Our students have different backgrounds; therefore, I have adapted and simplified the course to allow all students to understand the interdisciplinary content. This course will help you to start your progress in the field of Neuroeconomics and to further develop your skills during other more advanced courses and trainings in the future. For some topics, the course will also provide supplementary videos to reveal the opinions of leading experts in the field. Each module provides optional reading material.