Resource shortage and preferences – a study on medicine and vaccine shortages

The research seeks to provide insights into how scarcity shapes human behaviour, particularly in the context of medicine and vaccine shortages, contributing to our understanding of decision-making processes under resource constraints.

The project will utilise a series of behavioural economics games to collect data on individuals’ behaviour across different contexts of scarcity. These experiments will be conducted in both low- and high-income countries, enabling a comparative analysis of behavioural responses across countries. By employing a combination of theoretical and empirical methods, the project will allow us to assess participants’ attitudes and beliefs about other nations, both in the case when scarcity affects all countries equally and when it is limited to specific geographical areas.

The project will focus on analysing the effect of resource scarcity on individuals’ preferences, including trust, cooperativeness, risk attitudes, and social preferences (such as altruism, difference-aversion, and reciprocity).

The insights gained from the study can inform policymakers and governments about the behavioural dynamics underlying resource scarcity, facilitating the development of more effective strategies to address resource scarcity challenges and foster cooperation in global health initiatives.

Entry qualifications

Entrants must have a master’s degree in economics (desirable Master in Behavioural Economics).

Fees and funding

This is a self-funded PhD project for UK applicants.