RETHINKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND PSYCHOLOGY

This paper takes the opportunity to discuss issues around the interdis ciplinary relations between economics and psychology. It argues that t here is a discernible gap between economists interested in psychology and psychologists interested in economics. Economists are interested i n cognitive neuro-psychology as a resource for elaborating the rationa lity assumptions of neoclassical economics whereas many economic psych ologists are more interested in social aspects of economic beliefs and behaviour. The paper presents a criticism of the prevailing approache s within economics to the appropriation of psychological ideas as ment al accounts and in experimental economics. It is then proposed that ec onomic psychologists stop adopting economists' agendas and start to ex amine economic theory to open new lines of collaboration that will all ow them to apply their own conception of psychology to economics.