Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

20 p.

Publication Date

3-2013

Publisher

NecPlus

Source Publication

OEconomia

Source ISSN

2113-5207

Original Item ID

doi: 10.4074/S2113520713011055

Abstract

Economics imperialism is broadly explained as economics having an impact on other disciplines. But how should economics imperialism be understood when it is in some sense the product of other disciplines having an impact on economics? The paper examines psychology’s impact on economics in connection with the emergence of behavioral development economics, and then discusses the nature of behavioral development economics imperialism associated with development economists’ explanations of non-market dimensions of life in developing economies in behavioral economics terms. The paper argues that this new form of economics imperialism reflects economics’ selective appropriation from psychology of the Kahneman-Tversky heuristics and biases view of choice behavior and rejection of the Gigerenzer-ABC group fast and frugal heuristics view. This selective appropriation, however, causes behavioral development economics imperialism to also function as a social and cultural imperialism since its utility theory-based policy recommendations impose liberal society economic values on developing economy societies. Thus recent economics-plus-psychology imperialism might be said to function as social science imperialism under the leadership of economics.

Comments

Published version. OEconomia, Vol. 2013, No. 1 (March 2013): 119-138. Publisher Link. © 2013 NecPlus. Used with permission.

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