Keynote Lectures
Keynote Lectures hosted by Frankfurt School
1st Lecture
2nd Lecture
Location
Language
Overview
The German Experimental Association (GfeW, Gesellschaft für experimentelle Wirtschaftsforschung) is holding its conference at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Founded by, among others, Nobel Laureate Reinhard Selten, GfeW is the oldest association dedicated to experimental economics. It promotes exchange within the German experimental economics community, provides ethical certification and supports early-career academics through scholarships and awards. More information is available at gfew.de.
As part of the conference, GfeW invites faculty members and other interested guests to attend two keynote lectures. The lectures are open to the public, and the announcement may be shared with anyone interested in the topics.
Keynote Lecture: On the appropriateness of punishment
Prof. Dr. Urs Fischbacher
Chair of Behavioral Economics, Universität Konstanz
Thursday, September 24th 2026, 16.00-17.15, Audimax
Peer punishment has been shown to be very effective in enforcing cooperation. If those who cooperate punish those who do not, then also selfish people have an incentive to cooperate. However, punishment means to harm others, and it is also costly for the punisher. This feels unreasonable and unkind. Even worse, if punishment is also targeted at the cooperators, the positive incentive effect can disappear. This tension raises the question of how people assess the appropriateness of different forms of punishment. Another tension that we will discuss relates to the advantages of reward versus punishment. Rewards are kind, but it is not possible to reward all people who comply with a social norm. So, we will show when people prefer reward or punishment.
Keynote Lecture: Expectations and Coordination in Macroeconomics
Prof. Dr. Frank Heinemann
Lehrstuhl Volkswirtschaftslehre, TU Berlin
Friday, September 25th 2026, 11.15-12.30, Audimax
Expectations shape economic decisions—but what do survey responses really tell us about how people will behave? This keynote lecture takes a critical look at the interpretation of inflation expectations and asks whether changes in stated expectations translate into actions in the way economic theory predicts. The lecture then turns to the strategic dimension of expectations. While standard macroeconomic models typically assume away strategic uncertainty, it becomes crucial when several equilibria—and thus several possible paths for the economy—exist. How do individuals form expectations when the future depends on what others expect and do? Drawing on recent methods and empirical findings, the lecture explores how strategic uncertainty can be measured and what it implies for coordination and macroeconomic outcomes.
