GSC 1019:  Graduate School of Decision Sciences

Subject Area Economics
Mathematics
Psychology
Social Sciences
Term from 2012 to 2019
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 194458330
 

Final Report

Final Report Year 2020

Final Report Abstract

Human decision making is the basis of all social and behavioural sciences, particularly economics, political science, psychology and sociology. Even though these disciplines focus on different research questions and have developed specific models, they also share common research topics and methods. One common ground is the rational actor model at the individual level, which is used as a starting point for theories or as a benchmark in the analysis of behaviour. At the level of aggregation, game theory plays an important role in all social sciences. Methodologically, decision sciences share methods for data collection and for analysis. Decision sciences have gained in importance over the last decades and years. Using controlled experiments, the standard model of economic behaviour, which is based on the assumption of rationality and selfishness, has been challenged. In addition, more and larger data sets about human behaviour have become available, because an increasing number of human decisions leave behind digital traces, for example, in online purchases or in in social media activity. The Graduate School of Decision Sciences (GSDS) offers a training and research environment in which human behaviour and its consequences are investigated from different perspectives and using different methods. This includes the design of laboratory and field experiments, the setup of surveys, the collection of administrative data, the creation of simulations and the development of theories. In addition, the methods to analyse the data gathered in the different types of empirical studies are provided for. The Graduate School concentrates on four interdisciplinary research areas, between which several cross-connections exist: (A) Behavioural Decision Making; (B) Intertemporal Choice and Markets; (C) Political Decisions and Institutions; and (D) Information Processing and Statistical Analysis. Its multidisciplinary character is exemplified by numerous existing connections and research cooperations between the participating disciplines, which are being continuously expanded upon within the framework of the Graduate School. A broad set of courses and seminars, as well as an open and communicative academic environment, provide ideal conditions to guide doctoral researchers to scientific excellence. Doctoral researchers also benefit from our connections to various national and international network partners. They receive targeted career preparation to facilitate their entry into assistant professorships and postdoctoral positions in leading international research institutions or into top positions in the private sector or the public service. Consequently, a high level of national and international visibility of postgraduate training in the social sciences at the University of Konstanz will be promoted.

Link to the final report

https://doi.org/10.2314/KXP:1698954611

Publications

DFG Programme Graduate Schools
Applicant Institution Universität Konstanz
Spokespersons Professor Dr. Urs Fischbacher; Professor Dr. Leo Kaas, until 9/2015
Participating Researchers Professor Dr. Carlos Alós-Ferrer; Professorin Dr. Nathalie Behnke; Professor Dr. Jan Beran; Professor Dr. Ulrik Brandes; Professor Dr. Friedrich Breyer; Professor Dr. Ralf Brüggemann; Professor Dr. Marius Busemeyer; Professor Dr. Florian Englmaier; Professor Dr. Günter Franke; Professor Dr. Peter M. Gollwitzer; Professor Dr. Thomas Götz; Professor Dr. Thomas Hinz; Professorin Dr. Katharina Holzinger; Professor Dr. Ronald Hübner; Professor Dr. Jens Carsten Jackwerth; Professor Dr. Christoph Knill; Professor Dr. Dirk Leuffen; Professor Dr. Winfried Franz Xaver Pohlmeier; Professor Dr. Gerald Schneider; Professor Dr. Peter Selb; Professor Dr. Susumu Shikano; Professor Dr. Heinrich W. Ursprung (†)