Alexander Coutts

Alexander Coutts has been an Assistant Professor of Economics at Nova School of Business and Economics since 2015. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from New York University, with specializations in development and experimental economics. During his studies he was a researcher at New York University’s Center for Technology and Economic Development, based in Abu Dhabi.

His research focus spans behavioral, experimental, and development economics. Currently a resident member of Novafrica, he utilizes laboratory and field experiments to understand the interaction between information, beliefs, and behavior. His current lab experiments focus on studying belief formation and updating, and their relationship with optimism and overconfidence. More broadly his interests involve applying insights from behavioral economics to questions in development economics, with a focus on information, beliefs, and learning. His latest field work involves research in Rwanda and Mozambique. He currently teaches behavioral and development economics, as well as microeconomics at the doctoral level.