Behavioral Decisions and Policy

Abstract

We study the public policy implications of a model in which agents do not fully internalize all the conscequences of their actions. Such a model uni es seemingly disconected models with behavioral agents. We evaluate the scope of paternalistic and libertarian-parternalistic policies in the light of our model, and propose an alternative type of approach, called soft-libertarian, which guides the decision makers in the internalization of all the conscequences of their ac- tions. Psychotherapy is one example of a soft-libertarian policy. Moreover, we show that in our behavioral framework, policies that increase the set of oppor- tunities or provide more information to the agent may not longer be individual welfare improving.Behavioral Decisions;Revealed Preferences;Normative Preferences;Paternalism;Soft-Libertarian;Autonomy;Psychotherapy