Behavioural Development Economics

Behavioural development economics applies theories and ideas from behavioural economics to the study of questions in development.

In this space, researchers at the CID have investigated the role of social identity on trust and conflict, gender differences in behavioural preferences and its impact on labour market outcomes and the impact of behavioural interventions on asset misreporting in the context of welfare programs. 

Lead: Ananta Neelim 

Other researchers: Simon Feeny

SDG alignment 

Relevant projects and publications:   

  • Trust Behaviour in Tightly Knit Rural Communities in Bangladesh in India and Bangladesh produced for the International Growth Centre (with Pushkar Maitra and Minhaj Mahmud), 
  • Free Provision and the Demand for Health Products, produced for the International Growth Centre. (with Minhaj Mahmud and Abu Naser), 2015

Recent publications

  • Chua, S-H, Feeny, S. Hoffmann, R. and M.R Sanjaya (2019), Conflict, Ethnicity and Gender: A Money-Burning Field Experiment in Indonesia, Economics Letters, Volume 177, pp.14-17.
  • Leibbrandt, A., Maitra, P. & Neelim, A. (2018). Large Stakes and little Honesty? Experimental Evidence from a Developing Country, Economics Letters, 169, 76-79. (2018)
  • Gupta, G, Mahmud, M., Maitra, P., Mitra, S. & Neelim, A.Religion, Minority Status and Trust: Evidence from a Field Experiment” (with Gautam Gupta, Minhaj Mahmud, Pushkar Maitra and Santanu Mitra), Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organization, 146, 180-205. (2018)
  •  Leibbrandt, A., Maitra, P. & Neelim, A.  (2015). On the Redistribution of Wealth in a Developing Country: Experimental Evidence on Stake and Framing Effects. Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organization, 118, 360-371. (2015)

Work in Progress 

  • Maitra, P., Neelim, A., Tran, C. (2020) Behavioral explanations for the labor market gender gap in Vietnam. 
  • Maitra, P., Neelim A. (2020) Using Experiments to understand experiments in Developing Countries. 
  • Feeny, S. (2020) Charitable Giving for International Development: Insights from Behavioural Economics and Other Disciplines.
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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.