Consumer Behavior

Dozens of people cross a large intersection

There is a widespread belief that consumers make poor decisions about energy use and investments. This belief forms the basis for many of the energy policies that we experience today, for example energy efficiency and building standards. Economists are increasingly committed to understanding how consumers make decisions, determining when claims of behavioral bias are accurate, and identifying obstacles to optimal decision-making. Research in this track includes analysis of large micro-level datasets of consumer choices with the goal of understanding how to improve energy policy.