Theory and research on topics in judgment and decision-making,
including heuristics-and-biases, rational decision theory,
evolutionary approaches, causal judgment and applications to
medicine, law, economics, social psychology, and everyday
decisions. Emphasis is placed on how behavior compares with
rational models.
Athena Title
Judgment and Decision Making
Pre or Corequisite
PSYC 2990 or PSYC 3990
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will describe and complete basic calculations using expected value, expected utility theory, and prospect theory.
Students will evaluate expected value, expected utility theory, and prospect theory as both descriptive and normative theories, utilizing methods and findings from the empirical literature.
Students will explain how decision theories relate to historical and modern concepts of social and cognitive psychology.
Students will explain and complete calculations with models of covariation and confidence calibration, utilizing methods and findings from the empirical literature.
Students will explain, differentiate, and complete basic calculations relating to the heuristics of representativeness, availability, and anchoring and adjustment, utilizing methods and findings from the empirical literature.
Students will explain and complete calculations with regard to hindsight and delayed reward, utilizing methods and findings from the empirical literature.
Students will explain social and moral aspects of decision making, utilizing methods and findings from the empirical literature.
Students will demonstrate deeper knowledge of a topic of judgment and decision making in essay form, utilizing appropriate citations and developing original narrative links.
Topical Outline
1. Expected value and expected utility
2. Prospect theory
3. History, cognition, and social psychology
4. Covatiation and overconfidence
5. Heuristics and biases
6. Bayesian reasoning
7. Logical reasoning
8. The role of time: hindsight, delay, and future selves
9. Social aspects of decision making (games)
10. Moral decision making
Institutional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Social Awareness & Responsibility
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
