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Information
| Unit | FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES |
| FINANCE PR. | |
| Code | PFS311 |
| Name | Behavioral Public Finance |
| Term | 2025-2026 Academic Year |
| Semester | 5. Semester |
| Duration (T+A) | 3-0 (T-A) (17 Week) |
| ECTS | 5 ECTS |
| National Credit | 3 National Credit |
| Teaching Language | Türkçe |
| Level | Lisans Dersi |
| Type | Normal |
| Label | E Elective |
| Mode of study | Yüz Yüze Öğretim |
| Catalog Information Coordinator | Dr. Öğr. Üyesi MURAT ALBAYRAK |
| Course Instructor |
The current term course schedule has not been prepared yet.
|
Course Goal / Objective
The aim of this course is to introduce behavioral economics approaches that explain deviations from rationality in financial decisions of individuals and institutions, and to evaluate their implications for public finance, tax policies, saving behavior, and government interventions. Within the course, traditional public finance theories will be examined alongside psychological and behavioral findings to discuss how individual behavior can be integrated into the design of fiscal policies.
Course Content
This course focuses on behavioral economic approaches that explain deviations from rationality in financial and economic decision-making processes of individuals and institutions. Topics such as prospect theory, mental accounting, cognitive biases, and heuristics—developed in response to the assumptions of classical economics and public finance—will be examined in depth. Practical examples from areas such as investment decisions, tax compliance, saving, and retirement behavior will be discussed. In addition, behavioral policy tools such as nudges and choice architecture will be evaluated, along with their implications for public expenditure, borrowing, and tax policy.
Course Precondition
No prerequisites
Resources
Kamilçelebi, H. (2019). Davranışsal İktisat. IJOPEC Publication, İstanbul.
Notes
Gözübüyük, F. (2023). Vergiye gönüllü uyumunun sağlanmasında davranışsal kamu politikalarının kullanılması. Maliye Araştırmaları, 6, 148-160. Kitapçı, İ. (2017). Rasyonaliteden irrasyonaliteye: Davranışsal iktisat yaklaşımı ve bilişsel önyargılar. Maliye Araştırmaları Dergisi, 3(1), 85-102. Seçilmiş, E., & Didinmez, İ. (2016). Vergi reformlarının davranışsal iktisat perspektifinden değerlendirilmesi: Türkiye örneği. Bilig, (77), 203-332.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Order | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| LO01 | Apply behavioral economics theories to public finance policies. |
| LO02 | Analyze the impact of cognitive biases on tax compliance, public expenditures, and budgeting. |
| LO03 | Design effective public policies using nudge theory. |
| LO04 | Evaluate behavioral design principles in social welfare and incentive programs. |
| LO05 | Interpret corruption, unethical behaviour and public choice theory from a behavioural perspective |
| LO06 | Discusses behavioural finance practices with a critical perspective by comparing case studies from Türkiye and the world. |
Relation with Program Learning Outcome
| Order | Type | Program Learning Outcomes | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLO01 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Explains basic conceptual information about economy and finance | 3 |
| PLO02 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | The departments of finance, law, economics, public administration, business administration and accounting have the necessary qualifications for the public and private sectors. | 3 |
| PLO03 | Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı | Analyses the basic conceptual knowledge about economics and finance in the context of current economic and financial developments. | 4 |
| PLO04 | Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı | Synthesises the information obtained from different sources within the framework of academic rules in the field of research | |
| PLO05 | Yetkinlikler - Bağımsız Çalışabilme ve Sorumluluk Alabilme Yetkinliği | Works effectively individually and/or in a team. | 4 |
| PLO06 | Yetkinlikler - Öğrenme Yetkinliği | Being aware of the necessity of lifelong learning, follows the current developments in the field. | 4 |
| PLO07 | Yetkinlikler - Öğrenme Yetkinliği | Apart from the traditional approach, it develops new working methods when deemed necessary. | |
| PLO08 | Yetkinlikler - İletişim ve Sosyal Yetkinlik | Turkish and at least one foreign language is used in accordance with the needs of academic life and business life | |
| PLO09 | Yetkinlikler - İletişim ve Sosyal Yetkinlik | Expresses herself orally and in writing | 3 |
| PLO10 | Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik | To be able to collect and analyse data from different sources by using contemporary communication tools, methods and processes | |
| PLO11 | Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik | Having basic computer knowledge and skills, uses this information in the professional field. | |
| PLO12 | Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik | Explains the duties, authority and functioning of public financial institutions | |
| PLO13 | Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik | Explains job descriptions and responsibilities of professionals in the field of finance | |
| PLO14 | Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik | Have social, scientific and ethical values. | 5 |
Week Plan
| Week | Topic | Preparation | Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Behavioral Finance | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap |
| 2 | Rational Behavior vs. Real-World Decisions | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 3 | Tax Compliance and Behavioral Biases | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 4 | Automatic Enrollment in Savings Schemes | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 5 | Behavioral Effects of Public Expenditures | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 6 | Behavioral Design of Social Welfare Programs | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 7 | Tax Psychology: Fairness Perception & Avoidance | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 8 | Mid-Term Exam | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Yazılı Sınav |
|
| 9 | Public Choice & Political Behavior Economics | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 10 | Nudge Theory in Public Policy | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 11 | Behavioral Approaches in Health & Education Policies | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 12 | Economics of Corruption & Unethical Behavior | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 13 | Experimental Methods in Behavioral Public Finance | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 14 | Case Studies: Applications from Türkiye and the World | Reading the relevant sections from the sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma |
| 15 | Student presentations | Preparing a presentation | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Grup Çalışması, Beyin Fırtınası |
| 16 | Term Exams | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Yazılı Sınav |
|
| 17 | Term Exams | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Yazılı Sınav |
Student Workload - ECTS
| Works | Number | Time (Hour) | Workload (Hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Related Works | |||
| Class Time (Exam weeks are excluded) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Out of Class Study (Preliminary Work, Practice) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Assesment Related Works | |||
| Homeworks, Projects, Others | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mid-term Exams (Written, Oral, etc.) | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 20 | 20 |
| Total Workload (Hour) | 119 | ||
| Total Workload / 25 (h) | 4,76 | ||
| ECTS | 5 ECTS | ||