Meet the Faculty
Additional Disciplines
88-235: Negotiation: Strategies and Behavioral Insights
Featured Faculty: Silvia Saccardo
What do you love about teaching this course?
I love teaching this course because it empowers students with essential negotiation skills for navigating interpersonal and professional relationships. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch their growth throughout the semester, as they evolve from shying away from negotiations to actively seeking and embracing these opportunities!
How does what you do in the classroom reflect the impact your field has on the world?
In my course, I incorporate insights from the field of judgment and decision making, which has profoundly shaped our understanding of decision-making processes in various domains, including business, policymaking, and everyday interactions. Through practical exercises, students experience how cognitive biases can influence their judgment and decision-making in negotiations. In debrief sessions, they are equipped with strategies to not only overcome these biases but also to harness them to their advantage, thereby enhancing their effectiveness as negotiators.
What are your current research interests?
My research integrates insights from economics and psychology to enhance our understanding of the drivers and barriers to behaviors that promote both individual and societal well-being. I tackle questions such as: How do individuals justify questionable behaviors through self-deception? What are the drivers of gender disparities in labor market outcomes? How can we leverage insights from human behavior in healthcare to promote healthy habits and encourage preventive measures like screenings and vaccinations? I study these questions using a mix of laboratory and field experiments, often in collaboration with organizational partners.