Village Lessons for City Living
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
Tan Lai Yong
 | Dr Tan Lai Yong is a medical doctor by training. He graduated from NUS in 1985. In 1996, he and his family relocated to Yunnan, China, where he was involved in poverty alleviation, community development, and the training of village health workers. As part of China’s National Day celebrations in 2004, Dr Tan was awarded the “Friends of China” accolade at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in a ceremony attended by then-Premier Wen Jiabao. Upon his return, he received a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Public Administration at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. After their 15-year stay in Yunnan, Dr Tan and his wife taught at NUS and SMU, respectively. However, they have recently transitioned out of tertiary education and shifted their focus to rural schools and village community projects in neighbouring ASEAN regions. |
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