ABOUT US

The goal of our lab is to study human decision making under uncertainty, in particular, when faced with financial risks. In contrast to most research in finance, our way of studying is experimental. We probably have an equal amount of theoretical input and we certainly don't shy away from adding to theory, but we have moved from studying (historical) data from the field to running controlled experiments.

Financial risks are a relatively recent phenomenon, evolutionary speaking. As such, the human brain may not have perfectly adapted protocol to deal with it. In a first stage, we would like to know how the brain perceives risks and how it generates decisions in very controlled, say "ecologically relevant" situations. We already know quite a bit about reward learning, and how simple but robust temporal difference modeling is hardwired in the human brain (and the brains of monkeys, rats and mice, for that matter). Our lab has brought another aspect to the forefront in this regard: risk perception and risk learning. These are necessary for any organism that is risk-sensitive (whether risk-averse of risk-loving) or even just attempts to learn to predict stochastic payoffs as accurately as possible.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Help Advance Our Understanding Of

Human Decision Making Under Uncertainty...

While Gaining Valuable Skills When Playing Games And Experimental Financial Markets ...

And While Being Paid!

Sign Up Now To Receive Invitations To Participate:
Visit http://decisions.epfl.ch/orsee/public/

For further details and current studies, visit

http://ldmu.epfl.ch/laboratory

RELATED NEWS

Information on applying for the PhD program in Finance with the Swiss Finance Institute can be found here.

MASTER IN FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

New program at EPFL

Further information and instructions on how to apply can be found here.