Rankings / Candidate
Ernst Fehr
University of Zurich · Behavioral
Photo: Neuroeconomics University of Zurich, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Currently #8, tier Darkhorse, score 18.6, named by 2 sources.Score history: 100.0, 25.0, 18.6
The work. Experimental evidence that people punish unfairness at their own expense, the Fehr-Schmidt model of inequity aversion, and the economics of reciprocity and social norms.
The case for. He is the most cited behavioral economist in Europe, and his experiments on altruistic punishment changed how economists think cooperation survives.
The case against. Behavioral got Kahneman in 2002 and Thaler in 2017. Committees hesitate to go back to the same well three times in 25 years.
The KmikeyM angle. Fehr's subjects pay to punish free riders. KmikeyM shareholders who spend an evening voting on how Mike lives are paying in time for a payoff no self-interest model explains, and the market runs on exactly that.
What the sources say
- Clarivate alumni (prior years) named Ernst Fehr: named in 2009: for their contributions to behavioral economics, including issues of preferences, fairness, and cooperation (heat 100) Preseason: the Clarivate alumni pool
- Kalshi priced Ernst Fehr at 10%: never traded; bid 6, ask 14, midpoint 10 (heat 10) Kalshi has been open since July, and Athey moved on Clarivate day