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Morten Lau

Professor

Subjects
Microeconomics Economics Savings

Primary research areas

Risk and Time Preferences in Economic Behavior

My research explores how individuals make decisions involving uncertainty and trade-offs over time. Using experimental and field-based methods, I estimate key behavioral parameters such as risk aversion and discount rates. These insights have been applied to domains including insurance behavior, health choices, and gambling, helping to inform both economic theory and public policy.

Behavioral and Experimental Economics

I employ experimental methods and structural econometric models to investigate deviations from classical economic assumptions. This includes work on cumulative prospect theory, temporal inconsistency, and behavioral noise in decision-making. My research contributes to improving the descriptive and predictive power of economic models.

Field Experiments on Economic Preferences and Behavior

I design and implement large-scale field experiments to study economic preferences and behavioral patterns in real-world contexts. These experiments have examined topics such as ambiguity aversion, longitudinal consistency in decision-making, and the behavioral traits of entrepreneurs.

Exploring human behavior to improve economic models

I study how people make decisions under risk, uncertainty, and over time—using experimental and field-based methods to better understand real-world economic behavior. My work contributes to developing more realistic and robust economic models that reflect how individuals and groups actually behave. 

This research supports areas such as insurance design, retirement planning, and the prevention of problem gambling. It helps policymakers and organizations design better interventions by uncovering the motivations and constraints behind economic choices. 

I am particularly motivated by the challenge of bridging the gap between theory and behavior. My projects often involve large-scale field experiments and collaborations across countries and disciplines. 

Links

Outside activities

Durham University, UK, Professor, part-time, 2013–ongoing

Professor, part-time, Department of Economics and Finance, Durham University Business School

University of Cape Town, South Africa, Honorary Professor, 2023–ongoing

Honorary Professor, School of Economics

New Zealand Tertiary Education Committee, Member , 2018–2019

Member, Business and Economics Panel, Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF)