Course # 31941 Section Number 2 Day(s) Tu- Th Time(s) 11:00am-12:20pm Term Spring 2025 Course Instructor Kim Wolske Syllabus Syllabus 2/26/25 Many policies are aimed at influencing people's behavior. The most well-intentioned policies can fail, however, if they are not designed to be compatible with the way people actually think and make decisions. This course will draw from the fields of cognitive, social, and environmental psychology to (1) examine the ways in which human behavior deviates from the standard rational actor model typically assumed by economics, and (2) provide strategies for improving the design, implementation, and evaluation of public-facing policies. The basic premise of this course is that a foundational understanding of human behavior can lead not only to more effective policies, but enhanced decision-making and well-being. This course was previously titled Psychology for Policy Designers. Quarter Title Instructor Day(s) Time(s) Syllabus Spring 2025 Behavioral Science and Public Policy Kim Wolske Tuesday, Thursday 9:30am-10:50am Syllabus Spring 2025 Behavioral Science and Public Policy Kim Wolske Tuesday, Thursday 11:00am-12:20pm Syllabus Recent News More news Rohen Shah, PhD’25, Receives Horowitz Foundation Award for Education Research Mon., June 23, 2025 A Race Worth Running: John Peller’s Path from Advocate to CEO Fri., June 20, 2025 Student Profile, Nathan Held, MPP Class of 2027 Wed., June 18, 2025 Upcoming Events More events Get to Know Harris! A Virtual Information Session Wed., June 25, 2025 | 12:00 PM Harris Public Policy Coffee Chat in Seoul Sun., June 29, 2025 | 10:00 AM Starbucks Euljiro 4(sa)-ga Station 170 Eulji-ro Jung-gu Seoul 04548 South Korea Harris Summer Campus Visit Mon., June 30, 2025 | 10:00 AM Harris School of Public Policy 1307 E 60th St Chicago, IL 60637 United States