Maurice Bloch Seminar: Prof Daniel Nettle

We are pleased to invite you to:The Institute of Health and Wellbeing Maurice Bloch Annual Lecture Series 2020/21

Title: Seeing people in poverty as rational actors

Presenter: Professor Daniel Nettle

Date: Tuesday 20 October 2020

Time: 1-2pm

Chair: Dr David Blane

Webinar link: https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/96911414808

Abstract:In public health, we often see the decisions made by people living in poverty as problems to be fixed, or mistakes to be corrected. An alternative is to treat people in poverty as rational actors, and ask the question: what must be true about the circumstances that they are facing such that this ends up being their rational choice? This change in perspective causes us to focus more on changing people’s circumstances – a collective and political endeavour – and less on changing or criticising their behaviour or mindset as individuals. I will review examples of this perspective from my own work on early childbearing, health behaviour and obesity. I am not sure my case studies are entirely convincing, but they may constitute a valuable corrective to a widespread way of thinking.

About the Speaker

Daniel Nettle received his PhD in Anthropology from University College London. He has worked a wide range of topics, and studies both human behaviour, and the behaviour of non-human animals, particularly starlings. His personal research website is danielnettle.org.uk. Since coming to Newcastle in 2004, he has taught mostly on the Psychology BSc undergraduate programme and the MRes programme in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Areas of expertise

Human and animal behaviourAgeing and health