Matteo Ploner

Full Professor · Experimental & Behavioral Economics

Modern curriculum vitae template built with Quarto, Typst AwesomeCV, and reproducible data pipelines.

Overview

Designing experimental evidence for better economic decisions.

Experimental and behavioral economist with over twenty years of experience in laboratory and online experimentation, specializing in strategic interaction, financial decision-making, and policy-relevant behavioral interventions.

Fields of Expertise

Experimental Economics | Behavioral Economics & Finance | Strategic Interaction | Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty | Behavioral Public Policy

Coordinates

Skills Matrix

Methods: Experimental design, causal inference, lab and online experiments
Tools: R, Python, oTree, z-Tree, Prolific
Data Analysis: Econometrics, statistical modeling, data visualization
Leadership: Program coordination, doctoral supervision, strategic partnerships
Communication: Conference organization, keynote and invited talks, outreach

Education

Academic training in economics and management, with a focus on decision-making and strategic interaction.

Degrees & Certifications

Ph.D. in Economics & Management • Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies · Pisa, Italy • 2002 – 2006 • Thesis: Economics and Social Structures: Essays on Interaction in Decision Making.
Laurea in Economics (110/110 summa cum laude) • University of Trento, Faculty of Economics · Trento, Italy • 1997 – 2002 • Thesis on financial markets and wealth effects on consumption.

Advanced Training and Professional Development

Research Fellow • University of Trento, CEEL · Trento, Italy • Oct 2005 – Dec 2006 • Conducted CEEL laboratory experiments.
Research Fellow • Max Planck Institute of Economics · Jena, Germany • Jul 2005 – Sep 2005 • Strategic Interaction Group experimental projects.
Visiting Fellow • Harvard University, Department of Economics · Cambridge, USA • Jan 2005 – May 2005 • Training and collaborative research.
Visiting Student • Max Planck Institute of Economics · Jena, Germany • Oct 2004 – Dec 2004 • Advanced methods in experimental economics.
Summer Institute on Field Experiments (SIFE) • University of Chicago • Jul 9–13, 2017 • Advanced training on field experiments.
Summer Course in Econometrics • Centro Interdipartimentale di Econometria (CIDE) • Sep 5–18, 2004 • Discrete Choice and Panel Data.
Summer Institute • Max Planck Institute for Human Development • Aug 24–Sep 1, 2004 • Bounded Rationality in Psychology and Economics.
Winter School • University of Trento, Faculty of Economics • Feb 2004 • Computable and Experimental Economics.

Work Experience

Academic appointments and career progression at the University of Trento and international research institutions.

Full Professor (SECS-P/01) • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management · Trento, Italy • Mar 2023 – present • Research and teaching.
Associate Professor (SECS-P/01) • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management · Trento, Italy • Jun 2018 – Feb 2023 • Research and teaching.
Assistant Professor • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management · Trento, Italy • Jun 2015 – May 2018 • Tenure-track role (art. 24 c.3 b n.240/2010).
Assistant Professor • University of Trento, Department of Economics · Trento, Italy • Dec 2010 – May 2015 • Assistant professor (art. 1 c.14 n.230/2005).
Junior Researcher • University of Trento, Department of Economics · Trento, Italy • Sep 2008 – Dec 2010 • Research and teaching.
Research Associate • University of Trento, Department of Economics · Trento, Italy • Oct 2007 – Jul 2008 • Research projects.
Research Associate • Max Planck Institute of Economics, Strategic Interaction Group · Jena, Germany • Jan 2007 – Sep 2007 • Research fellow.

Publications

Selected, peer-reviewed outputs in behavioral and experimental economics. Full list at matteoploner.eco.unitn.it/publications.html; bibliometrics at ploner.eco.unitn.it/myself/index.html.

Journal Articles (recent)

Salience and information avoidance in voluntary carbon offsetting decisions: Evidence from online experiments • Ecological Economics • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2025.108577
Ain’t blaming you: Delegation of financial decisions to humans and algorithms • Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbah.2025.100147
Welfare and competition in expert advice markets • Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2024.01.011
Skewness-seeking behavior and financial investments • Annals of Finance • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10436-023-00437-y
The right person for the right job: workers’ prosociality as a screening device • Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2023.04.013
Impulse balancing versus equilibrium learning an experimental study of competitive portfolio selection • Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1007/s40844-022-00240-w
Boosting or nudging energy consumption? The importance of cognitive aspects when adopting non-monetary interventions • Energy Research & Social Science • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2022.102734
Trading fast and slow: The role of deliberation in experimental financial markets • Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100593
Energy saving in a simulated environment: An online experiment of the interplay between nudges and financial incentives • Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2021.101709
When do the expectations of others matter? Experimental evidence on distributional justice and guilt aversion • Theory and Decision • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-020-09792-y
When the state does not play dice: aggressive audit strategies foster tax compliance • Social Choice and Welfare • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1007/s00355-021-01325-y

Grants & Awards

Competitive research funding and recognitions supporting work on behavioral mechanisms and applied policy questions.

Emotional Intelligence and Policies towards the Sustainable Transition • PRIN 2022 • 2023 • Local Unit Manager
Tour The Future • PNRR_BaC_GRINS_S6 • 2024 • Team Member
Genesis • PNRR_BaC_GRINS_S3_GENESIS • 2024 • Team Member
EIEF 2012 Research Grant • Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF) • Apr 2013 • Principal Investigator

Presentations (recent)

Invited talks and conference presentations disseminating research to academic and policy audiences.

Invited Talks

AI Advice and Cooperation • GATE, University of Lyon • May 21, 2025 • GATE Lab Seminar
Lie for me: An experiment about delegation, efficiency, and morality • IMT Lucca • Mar 29, 2023 • AXES Seminar
Ain’t blaming you: Delegation of financial decisions to humans and algorithms • Faculty of Business and Law, University of Portsmouth, UK. • Oct 27, 2022 • Conference on Decision Making for Others “Cognition, responsibility and preferences”
Differenze di Genere negli Investimenti Pensionistici • DEM, University of Trento • Oct 03, 2024 • Divari di genere, Alfabetizzazione finanziaria, mercato del lavoro, e violenza economica
Lie for Me: An Experiment about Delegation, Efficiency, and Morality • University of Portsmouth • May 18, 2022 • Seminar Series in Economics and Finance

Conferences

AI Advice and Cooperation • Univerity of Verona • Nov 29, 2024 • Verona Experimental Meeting
AI Advice and Cooperation • Hanken School of Economics • Jul 09, 2024 • European ESA Meeting
Welfare in Experimental News Markets • Luiss Guido Carli and Sapienza University • Sep 30, 2022 • Eight Meeting of the Behavioral and Experimental Economics Network (BEEN)
Boosting or nudging energy consumption? The importance of cognitive aspects when adopting non-monetary interventions • University of Bologna • Sep 01, 2022 • European ESA Meeting
Welfare in Experimental News Markets • Free University of Bolzano/Bozen • May 27, 2022 • Euregio Economics Meeting
Lie for Me: An Experiment about Delegation, Efficiency, and Morality • American Economic Association • Jan 09, 2022 • ASSA 2022 Virtual Annual Meeting
An experiment about delegation efficiency and morality • CEEL, University of Trento • Dec 03, 2021 • CEEL workshop on decision-making

Leadership & Service

Academic leadership roles, laboratory management, doctoral supervision, and service to the research community.

Administrative Roles

Vice Coordinator ECOFIN Phd Program • University of Trento and Free University of Bozen-Bolzano • 2025 – present • Support program coordination, admissions, and student mentoring.
Director’s Delegate for Artificial Intelligence • Department of Economics and Management (UNITN) • Nov 2024 – present • Coordinate AI integrations that elevate teaching and research quality.
Coordinator · Bachelor in Economics & Management • Department of Economics and Management (UNITN) • Jan 2023 – present • Lead curriculum renewal and student engagement initiatives.
Deputy Director · CEEL Laboratory • University of Trento • 2013 – present • Oversee experimental facilities, participant strategies, and seminar series.

PhD Supervision

Ongoing: Alexey Upravitelev · Guido Musati · Chiara Gioia

Awarded: Andrea Pradelli · Matteo Benuzzi · Zilia Ismagilova · Valeria Fanghella · Thi Thanh Tam Vu · Kerry Hellmuth · Bassim Allaheeb · Ali Seyhun Saral · Tatiana Balmus · Nives Della Valle · Viola Luisa Saredi · Federico Fornasari

Events Organized

SABE Annual Conference • University of Trento • Jun 5–7, 2025
Euregio Economics Workshop • Bolzano · Trento • 2019 – 2022
Shadow Economy Conference • University of Trento • Jul 11–13, 2019
Euregio Economics Workshop 2022 • Free University of Bolzano/Bozen • May 26–27, 2022
Euregio Economics Workshop 2019 • University of Trento • Apr 4–6, 2019
11 IMPRS-Uncertainty Topics Workshop • University of Trento • Sep 27–29, 2017
Workshop Generations of Experiments • University of Trento • Jan 15, 2016
Workshop Experiment a BIT • University of Trento • Sep 28, 2015

Editorial Activities

Strategic Change • A global journal dedicated to the study of the management and organization of strategic change • • Editorial Board Member
Games • A scholarly open access journal of strategic interaction, game theory and decision making published quarterly online by MDPI • • Editorial Board Member (ended) ```

Teaching Portfolio

Teaching activity across BA/MA/PhD levels, with emphasis on experimental methods, behavioral finance, and data workflows.

Bachelor degree

Lab I: Market Analysis • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, BA in Economics and Management • 2021–2025 • Market analysis; data management in R; writing of a report (English taught)
Laboratorio di analisi dei mercati • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, BA in Gestione Aziendale • 2017–2020 • Market analysis; data management; writing of a report

Master’s degree

Workshop in Behavioral finance • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, LM in Finanza • 2020–2025 • Introduction to behavioral finance (English taught)
Behavioural Economics: Module B - Experimental Methods • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, LM in Behavioral and Applied Economics • 2020–2025 • Experimental methods in economics; design of experiments (English taught)
Behavioural Finance • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, LM in Behavioural and Applied Economics • 2021–2025 • Introduction to behavioral finance (English taught)
An introduction to Behavioral Finance • LUT University, Lappeenranta (Finland) • 2023 • Behavioral Finance
Experimental Economics • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, LM in Economics • 2014–2019 • Methodology and design of experiments (English taught)
Laboratorio: Economia e finanza comportamentale • University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, LM in Finanza • 2009–2019 • Introduction to behavioral finance

Ph.D. programs

Experimental Economics: Data Workflow • University of Trento, School of Social Sciences, PhD in Economics and Management • 2020–2025 • Programming and conducting experiments; software design in oTree and data management in R (English taught)
Programming and Management of Experiments in oTree • Soleto Summer School & Workshop on Experimetrics & Behavioral Economics • 2025
Programming and Conducting Experiments in oTree • LUT University, Lappeenranta (Finland), PhD Program • 2021 • Programming of experiments in oTree (English taught)
Experimental Economics and Its Applications • Smart-BEEjS Innovative Training Network, PhD Program • 2020 • Experimental Economics and environmental applications (English taught)
A course in programming and conducting economic experiments with oTree • University of Turin, Turin (Italy), PhD Program • 2020 • Programming of experiments in oTree (English taught)
A Crash Course in z-Tree • University Ca’ Foscari, Venice (Italy), PhD Program • 2017 • Programming of experiments in Ztree (English taught)
Experimental Economics: Laboratory • University of Trento, School of Social Sciences, PhD in Economics and Management • 2011–2015 • Programming experiments in z-Tree (English taught)
Experimental Economics • Friedrich Schiller University, Jena (Germany), SBC-EIC Doctoral Program • 2010 • Experimental Economics: methodology and contributions (English taught)
Behavioral Economics • University of Trento, CIFREM Doctoral Program,PhD in Economics and Management • 2008 • Introduction to behavioral economics
Behavioral Economics • University of Trento, CIFREM Doctoral Program, PhD in Economics and Management • 2007 • Introduction to behavioral economics

Outreach & Dissemination (recent)

Public engagement and knowledge transfer activities on behavioral biases, financial decisions, and policy-relevant topics.

Dissemination

Trappole cognitive e pregiudizi • Federazione Trentina della Cooperazione • Nov 28, 2025 • Session with high-school students
Scelte di investimento e equità pensionistica • Pensplan: 11° Equal Pension Day • Oct 28, 2025 • Public outreach session
Razionalità limitata e mercati finanziari • Notte della Ricerca, MUSE, Trento • Sep 26, 2025 • Public outreach session
Mercati, prezzi e bolle speculative • Dipartimento di Economia e Management, Università di Trento • Jul 15, 2025 • Outreach activity for high-school students
Differenze di Genere negli Investimenti Pensionistici • Dipartimento di Economia e Management, Università di Trento • Oct 03, 2024 • Gender gaps: financial literacy
Summerlabs • University of Trento · Department of Economics and Management · Trento (Italy) • Aug 22, 2024 • Summer labs outreach program
Nozioni ed esperienze di finanza comportamentale • IPRASE · Rovereto (Italy) • Nov 25, 2023 • Session with high-school students
Scelte finanziarie e trappole cognitive • Istituto Tecnico Economico e Tecnologico G. Floriani • Nov 04, 2022 • Session with high-school students
Scelte finanziarie e trappole cognitive • Federazione Trentina della Cooperazione • Oct 21, 2022 • Session with high-school students
L’educazione finanziaria per il tuo futuro • ITE Tambosi (High School) · Trento (Italy) • Oct 20, 2021 • Financial education for your future

Continuing Education

Finanza Comportamentale • Executive Master Consultique in consulenza e pianificazione finanziaria • Dec 18, 2025 • Introduction to key topics in behavioral finance
Risk Leadership: Decision Making • BANCA SELLA Masterclass • Oct 22, 2025 • Decision-making under risk
Esperienze di economia e finanza: una didattica per tempi complessi • Istituto Tecnico Economico Tambosi, Trento • Jan 15, 2023 • Training course for teachers

Other Formats