Who thinks like an economist? : how the economist mental model shapes political decisions / Beatrice Magistro, Northeastern University.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Magistro, Beatrice, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Economics--Political aspects.

Economics.

Economists--Psychology.

Economists.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xx, 232 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2026.

Summary:

Recent populist waves raise crucial questions about why economically harmful policies such as tariffs, Brexit, or immigration restrictions gain popular support. Conventional explanations focus on economic self-interest or cultural values; however, Beatrice Magistro's Who Thinks Like an Economist argues that the puzzle lies in how voters think. She introduces the innovative Economist Mental Model (EMM), which predicts attitudes toward trade, immigration, AI, and more. She explains that those adopting the Economist Mental Model are more likely to favor welfare-enhancing policies and prioritize cost-benefit information over partisan cues, while individuals with Alternative Mental Models (AMMs) show limited responsiveness to economic information and tend to support policies promising short-term relief at the expense of long-term welfare. Drawing on surveys and experiments in Italy, the UK, and the U.S., Magistro offers an indispensable guide for scholars and policymakers seeking to understand-and counter- the appeal of populist policies that ultimately harm society.

Contents:

Introduction

What Does It Mean to Think Like an Economist? A Theoretical Framework

How Do We Measure Who Thinks Like an Economist?

Thinking Like an Economist and Brexit

Attitudes Toward Globalization, Intertemporal Trade-Offs, and Time

Preferences: Insights from Italy

Thinking Like an Economist and Time Preferences: Becoming Patient

Economic Thinking and the Rejection of Zero-Sum Views

Thinking Like an Economist and Attitudes toward Globalization in the US:

Reconciling Aggregate Gains and Distributional Consequences

Decoding Policy Choices: How Thinking Like an Economist Shapes Information Processing

Thinking Like an Economist and Views Toward Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Conclusion.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 15 May 2026).

ISBN:

1-009-76365-2

9781009763684

9781009763677

OCLC:

1602014938