Series
Distinguished Speaker Series
A Cool History of Asia: Technologies, Society and the Environment
Open To
SMU Community, Public
Event Image
Synopsis
The figure above demonstrates the Müller-Lyer illusion, where equal-length lines appear different due to cognitive processing, illustrating how perceptions can mislead us – a key concept in Behavioural Economics. This field explores how psychological attributes affect economic decisions. Our lecture will first examine examples of how these attributes lead to seemingly irrational decisions. Then we will discuss leveraging an understanding of behavioural biases to subtly influence decision-making contexts, nudging individuals towards more desirable choices.
Speaker
Speaker Details
Chris Courtney
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Chris Courtney is Associate Professor of Modern Chinese History at the University of Durham, UK. He a social and environmental historian who focuses upon the city of Wuhan and its hinterland. His monograph The Nature of Disaster in China, which examined the 1931 Central China Flood, was awarded the 2019 John K. Fairbanks Prize. Chris has published on topics including the history of environmental religion, fire disasters, Maoist disaster management, and the history of air-conditioning. He is currently compiling an edited volume entitled Cooling Asia with Jiat-hwee Chang. His new monograph is tentatively entitled Wuhan – A World History. |
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