Dr. Joshua Schwartzstein

Professor

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Biography

Joshua Schwartzstein is the Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, focusing on Behavioral Economics. His research incorporates psychologically realistic assumptions such as attention, memory, and mental models into rigorous formal economic frameworks. Schwartzstein's work has been published in prestigious journals including the Quarterly Journal of Economics and the American Economic Review, providing novel insights of broad managerial relevance. He holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and a BA in Behavioral Economics and Mathematics from Cornell University. His investigations into 'behavioral hazard' elucidate how individuals underuse high-value medical care due to cognitive biases, impacting public policy related to healthcare efficiency. Additionally, his research on 'relative thinking' explains decision-making behaviors in consumer choice, highlighting the psychological factors influencing financial behavior. Schwartzstein's model of selective attention demonstrates how errors in belief formation can lead to systematic biases in economic forecasting. His contributions to Behavioral Economics have received several recognitions, including awards from the International Health Economics Association.

Research Interests

Experience

Cahners-Rabb Professor

— Present

Harvard Business School • Boston, MA

Professor Schwartzstein teaches and researches topics in Behavioral Economics, focusing on the application of psychological principles to economic models.

Awards

#2016

Honorable Mention

#2025

Winner

Requirements for Harvard University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
TOEFL
Total
Required:80
IELTS
Overall
Required:6.5
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in a technical or quantitative field
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).