Unterschiede im Denken zwischen Ökonomen und Laien – Erklärungsansätze zur Verbesserung der wirtschaftspolitischen Beratung

Abstract

Recent findings in Economic Psychology on the thinking and judgment of economic laymen can help to improve economic policy advice. First, based on psychological theories and empirical findings, the notion of the Homo oeconomicus is challenged. The economic situation is judged by laymen using implicit theories and biases, which are not in line with neoclassical economics. Then, the relevance of these theories and heuristics is shown empirically by the systematically different opinions of economists and non-economists on economic policy measures like minimum wages and maximum salaries. Conclusions for policy advisors complement the analysis. Copyright 2009 die Autoren Journal compilation 2009, Verein für Socialpolitik und Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Economic Beliefs and Party Preference

“…Undergraduate students typically believe more than PhD students that low private and public saving and high material and immaterial benefits for foreigners and minorities are reasons for poor performance of the national economy. These findings correspond to some typical findings of research on economic lay beliefs (see Kemp 2007;Enste et al 2009). The dislike of aggregate spending is an example of equating micro and macro level effects and the belief in excessive support of others is a sign of parochialism.…”

Theories, Techniques and the Formation of German Business Cycle Forecasts

“…There are, however, more aspects which are investigated by surveying economists. Enste et al (2009) ask, whether notable difference to the beliefs of economic "layman" exist. In this context the political and general beliefs of economists and their interaction with policy advice have been of interest (Schneider et al, 2007;Frey et al, 2010).…”

Ökonomische Bildung in Deutschland

“…Wer nicht ökonomisch gebildet ist, das zeigen u. a. Studien zum Denken von ökonomischen Laien (zum Überblick: Roos 2007), neigt dazu, in kurzen Kausalketten zu denken. Das Denken fokussiert in kurzfristiger Perspektivierung die Primärwirkungen unter systematischer Vernachlässigung von dynamischen Effekten und Sekundärwirkungen K (Enste et al 2009). Für ökonomische Lehr-Lern-Prozesse impliziert dies, dass im Wirtschaftsunterricht ein Perspektivwechsel von der kurzfristigen zu einer mittelbis langfristigen Perspektive ermöglicht und gefördert wird.…”