Dr Simon Hayley – How Behavioural Economics Shapes Your Choices

On Wednesday 6th March we’re very pleased to welcome Dr Simon Hayley, Senior Lecturer in Finance at Cass Business School in London. Simon will examine how the comparatively new field of behavioural economics is used to shape the choices we make, often without our knowledge.

Do we make rational choices, or are we driven by emotion, culture and society? Can economic behaviour be manipulated through neuroscience and psychology?

Behavioural economics is a rapidly growing field, in which insights from psychology are adopted into mainstream economics. Dr Simon Hayley will discuss some of the advances in this field and the practical issues they raise. Should we, as scientists, worry that behavioural biases will affect our work? More generally, should we be worried about behavioural insights being used to influence our decisions? Ultimately, what leads to a happy life?

Simon Hayley is Senior Lecturer in Finance at Cass Business School. His research concentrates on investor behaviour and the misconceptions that sometimes drive it.

Dr Hayley has published in leading journals and his teaching has earned multiple awards. He co-wrote Economics: A Primer, published last year by OUP.

Simon previously worked in The City as a market analyst and quantitative risk manager and was an economic forecaster at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and an adviser to HM Treasury. He has made numerous TV and radio appearances.

Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head, near London Bridge station. Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start and as usual the event is free, but we will have a whip-round to cover speaker’s expenses.