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Professor Gigi Foster

Professor Gigi Foster

Professor
Business School
School of Economics

Gigi Foster is a Professor with the School of Economics at the University of New South Wales, having joined UNSW in 2009 after six years at the University of South Australia.Ìý Formally educated at Yale University (BA in Ethics, Politics, and Economics) and the University of Maryland (PhD in Economics), she works in diverse fields including education, social influence, corruption, lab experiments, time use, behavioural economics, and Australian policy.Ìý Her research contributions regularly inform public debates and appear in both specialised and cross-disciplinary outlets (e.g.,ÌýQuantitative Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Journal of Population Economics, Journal of Economic Psychology, Human Relations).Ìý Her teaching, featuring strategic innovation and integration with research, was awarded a 2017 Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.ÌýÌýNamed 2019 Young Economist of the Year by the Economic Society of Australia, Professor Foster has filled numerous roles of service to the profession and engages heavily on economic matters with the Australian community.Ìý As one of Australia’s leading economics communicators, her regular media appearances include co-hosting , a national economics talk-radio program and podcast series premiered in 2018, with Peter Martin AM on ABC Radio National.

Selected Research Grants:

  • 2015-2017:ÌýARC Discovery Project Grant - AUD$231,800 awarded over three yearsÌýby the Australian Research Council for project entitled The Economics of CooperativeÌýBehaviour with Ben Greiner, Paul Frijters and Attila Ambrus
  • 2009-2011: ARC Discovery Project Grant awarded over three years by the Australian Research Council (2008) for project entitled, 'Should Rational Individuals be Optimistic?ÌýTheory, Survey Evidence, Experimental Evidence, and Policy Implications' (with Paul Frijters and Benno Torgler), AUD$221,000
  • 2008-2010: ARC Discovery Project Grant awarded over three years by the Australian Research Council (2007) for project entitled, 'Distributional Consequences of Mass-Market Higher Education in Business', AUD$89,740

Research Interests:

  • Economics of education
  • Behavioural economics
  • Social influences on economic behavior
  • Time use

UNSW Business School Profile:Ìýhttps://www.business.unsw.edu.au/our-people/gigifoster

Ìý
Phone
+61 2 9065 1518
E-mail
gigi.foster@unsw.edu.au
Location
Level 4, UNSW Business School Building
  • Books | 2022
    Foster G, 2022, Do Lockdowns and Border Closures Serve the "greater Good"? A Cost-benefit Analysis of Australia's Reaction to COVID-19
    Books | 2021
    GIGI F, 2021, GREAT COVID PANIC What Happened, Why, and what Todo Next
    Books | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, Biophysical measurement in experimental social science research: Theory and practice,
    Books | 2013
    Frijters P; Foster G, 2013, An Economic Theory of Greed, Love, Groups, and Networks, Cambridge University Press
  • Book Chapters | 2024
    Foster G, 2024, 'Grading Standards in Higher Education: Trends, Context, and Prognosis', in Springer International Handbooks of Education, pp. 341 - 359,
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2023, 'Realeconomik: Using the messy human experience to drive clean theoretical advance in economics', in Altman M (ed.), Handbook of Research Methods in Behavioural Economics, Edward Elgar, pp. 80 - 103,
    Book Chapters | 2022
    Foster G, 2022, 'Female Breadwinning Across the Social Sciences', in Zimmermann KF (ed.), Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, Springer
    Book Chapters | 2021
    Foster G, 2021, 'Betraying Ourselves', in Essays for Australia, Volume 1, Institute of Public Affairs
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, '"Teaching Quality in Australian Universities: Present measures, policies and possibilities"', in Campus Meltdown: Australian Universities in Crisis
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, 'Chapter 10 Conclusion', in Biophysical Measurement in Experimental Social Science Research, Elsevier, pp. 267 - 277,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, 'Conclusion', in Biophysical Measurement in Experimental Social Science Research: Theory and Practice, pp. 267 - 277,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Foster G; Frijters P; Greiner B, 2017, 'Challenges for Market and Institutional Design when Countering Exploitation Strategies', in Giraldeau L; Heeb P; Kosfeld M (ed.), Investors and Exploiters in Ecology and Economics Principles and Applications, MIT Press,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2017, 'Behavioral Political Economy', in Routledge Handbook of Behavioral Economics, Routledge, pp. 348 - 364
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Frijters P; Foster G, 2017, 'Is it rational to be in love?', in Handbook of Behavioural Economics and Smart Decision-Making, Edward Elgar Publishing,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Frijters P; Foster G, 2017, 'Is it rational to be in love?', in Handbook of behavioral economics and smart decision making: Rational Decision-Making within the Bounds of Reason, Edward Elgar Publishing,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Foster G, 2016, 'Grading Standards in Higher Education: Trends, Context, and Prognosis', in Bretag T (ed.), Handbook of Academic Integrity, Springer, pp. 307 - 324
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Are Women Better than Men at Multitasking Household Production Activities?', in The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 19 - 32,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Are women better than men at multitasking household production activities?', in Kalenkoski C; Foster G (ed.), The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 19 - 32,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Discussion: The Economics of Multitasking', in The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 203 - 207,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Discussion: The economics of multitasking', in Kalenkoski C; Foster G (ed.), The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 203 - 208,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Introduction: The Economics of Multitasking', in The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 1 - 5,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2016, 'Introduction: The economics of multitasking', in Kalenkoski C; Foster G (ed.), The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1 - 5,
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Foster G, 2015, 'Experimental Economics', in Wright J (ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, Elsevier, pp. 546 - 551,
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Foster G, 2015, 'Grading Standards in Higher Education: Trends, Context, and Prognosis', in Handbook of Academic Integrity, Springer Singapore, pp. 1 - 14,
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Foster G, 2015, 'Grading Standards in Higher Education: Trends, Context, and Prognosis', in Handbook of Academic Integrity, Springer Singapore, pp. 1 - 14,
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Shanahan M; Foster G; Meyer JHF, 2010, 'Threshold concepts and attrition in first-year economics', in Meyer JHF; Land R; Baillie C (ed.), Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning, edn. 1st Edition, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, pp. 207 - 226
    Book Chapters | 2008
    Shanahan M; Foster G; Erik , 2008, 'Associations among prior acquisition of threshold concepts, learning dimensions, and examination performance in first-year economics', in Land R; Meyer J; Smith J (ed.), Threshold Concepts within the Disciplines, edn. 1, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam
  • Edited Books | 2019
    Foster G, (ed.), 2019, Biophysical measurement in experimental social science research, Academic Press,
    Edited Books | 2015
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2015, The Economics of Multitasking, Palgrave Macmillan,
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Arnold SRC; Desai A; McVilly K; Hind T; Mason B; Walsh J; Foster G; Trollor JN, 2024, 'Towards a contribution paradigm: photovoice uncovering the contribution of people with intellectual disability', Disability and Society,
    Journal articles | 2024
    Chen J; Dobrescu LI; Foster G; Motta A, 2024, 'Can leagues mitigate the demoralization effect of rank feedback? A randomized controlled trial', Labour Economics, 90,
    Journal articles | 2024
    Coelli M; Foster G, 2024, 'Unintended consequences of school accountability reforms: Public versus private schools', Economics of Education Review, 99,
    Journal articles | 2024
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2024, 'Hiding the elephant: The tragedy of COVID policy and its economist apologists', Australian Economic Papers, 63, pp. 106 - 144,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Foster G; Sabhlok S, 2023, 'Response to 'Understanding the impact of lockdowns on short-term excess mortality in Australia' by Philip Clarke and Andrew Leigh (published in BMJ Global Health).', BMJ Glob Health, 8,
    Journal articles | 2023
    d’Abrera JC; Foster G, 2023, 'Letter to the Editor regarding ‘What happened to the predicted COVID-19-induced suicide epidemic, and why?’', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57, pp. 1583 - 1584,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Foster G, 2021, 'Driven by the Invisible: The economics of the unseen', Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, 5, pp. 79 - 85
    Journal articles | 2021
    Foster G, 2021, 'Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men', ECONOMIC RECORD, 97, pp. 310 - 316,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Bose G; Dechter E; Foster G, 2020, 'Behavioral coordination as an individual best-response to punishing role models', Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 174, pp. 301 - 319,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Foster G, 2020, 'Early estimates of the impact of COVID-19 disruptions on jobs, wages, and lifetime earnings of schoolchildren in Australia', Australian Journal of Labour Economics, 23,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Foster G, 2020, 'The Behavioural Economics of Government Responses to COVID-19', Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, Covid-19 Special Issue 3, pp. 11 - 43
    Journal articles | 2019
    Foster G; Pingle M; Yang J, 2019, 'Are we addicted to love? A parsimonious economic model of love', Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 165, pp. 70 - 81,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Foster G; Stratton LS, 2019, 'What women want (their men to do): Housework and Satisfaction in Australian Households', Feminist Economics, 25, pp. 23 - 47,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, 'A portrait of a scientist as a young mind', Journal of Mind and Behavior, 40, pp. 83 - 94
    Journal articles | 2019
    Foster G, 2019, 'Hybrid Public Policy Innovations: Contemporary Policy Beyond Ideology, by Mark Fabian and Robert Breunig (eds.) (Taylor and Francis, New York, NY, 2018), pp. 289.', Economic Record,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G; Frijters P; Schaffner M; Torgler B, 2018, 'Expectation formation in an evolving game of uncertainty: New experimental evidence', Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 154, pp. 379 - 405,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G; Stratton LS, 2018, 'Do significant labor market events change who does the chores? Paid work, housework, and power in mixed-gender Australian households', Journal of Population Economics, 31, pp. 483 - 519,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G; Stratton LS, 2018, 'Does Female Breadwinning Make Partnerships Less Healthy or Less Stable?', ,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, 'Education Policy Reforms to Boost Productivity in Australia', Australian Economic Review, 51, pp. 253 - 261,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, 'Ethics in Economics', AGENDA-A JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND REFORM, 25, pp. 61 - 75,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, 'Towards a living theoretical spine for (behavioural) economics', Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, 2, pp. 75 - 81
    Journal articles | 2018
    Ko CC; Frijters P; Foster G, 2018, 'A tale of cyclones, exports and surplus forgone in Australia’s protected banana industry', Economic Record, 94, pp. 276 - 300,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Foster G, 2017, 'Why Gender Matters in Economics', ECONOMIC RECORD, 93, pp. 509 - 511,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Foster G, 2015, 'Book review: Geoffrey M Hodgson, From Pleasure Machines to Moral Communities: An Evolutionary Economics without Homo Economicus', The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 26, pp. 175 - 181,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Frijters P; Foster G, 2015, 'Rising inequality: A benign outgrowth of markets or a symptom of cancerous political favours?', Australian Economic Review, 48, pp. 67 - 75,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2015, 'Measuring the relative productivity of multitasking to sole-tasking in household production: experimental evidence', Applied Economics, 47, pp. 1847 - 1862,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2014, 'Book Review - The Why Axis: Hidden Motives and the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life, Uri Gneezy, John A. List. Public Affairs (2013). xi + 267 pp. ISBN: 978-1-61039-311-9', Journal of Economic Psychology, 44, pp. 50 - 51,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2014, 'The formation of expectations: Competing theories and new evidence', Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 53, pp. 66 - 81,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Greenglass E; Antonides G; Christandl F; Foster G; Katter JKQ; Kaufman BE; Lea SEG, 2014, 'The financial crisis and its effects: Perspectives from economics and psychology', Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 50, pp. 10 - 12,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Pugh K; Foster G, 2014, 'Australia's National School Data and the 'Big Data' Revolution in Education Economics', Australian Economic Review, 47, pp. 258 - 268,
    Journal articles | 2013
    Foster G; Kalenkoski CM, 2013, 'Tobit or OLS? An empirical evaluation under different diary window lengths', Applied Economics, 45, pp. 2994 - 3010,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Arcidiacono P; Foster G; Goodpaster N; Kinsler J, 2012, 'Estimating Spillovers using Panel Data, with an Application to the Classroom', Quantitative Economics, 3, pp. 421 - 470,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Foster G; Frijters P; Johnston D, 2012, 'The triumph of hope over disappointment: A note on the utility value of good health expectations', Journal of Economic Psychology, 33, pp. 208 - 214,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Foster G, 2012, 'The Impact of International Students on Measured Learning and Standards in Australian Higher Education', Economics of Education Review, 31, pp. 587 - 600
    Journal articles | 2011
    Foster G, 2011, 'Academics as Educators in Australian Universities: Power, Perceptions, and Institutions', Economic Papers, 30, pp. 568 - 575
    Journal articles | 2010
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2010, 'Students' Beliefs about Peer Effects', Economics Letters, 108, pp. 260 - 263
    Journal articles | 2010
    Foster G, 2010, 'Teacher effects on student attrition and perforrmance in mass-market tertiary education', Higher Education, 2010, pp. 301 - 319
    Journal articles | 2009
    Foster G, 2009, 'A Diagrammatic Exposition of Regression and Instrumental Variables for th Beginning Student', Journal of Economic Education, 40, pp. 278 - 296,
    Journal articles | 2008
    Foster G, 2008, 'Names will Never Hurt Me: Racially identifiable names and identity in the undergraduate classroom', Social Science Research, 37, pp. 934 - 952,
    Journal articles | 2008
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, 2008, 'The quality of time spent with children in Australian households', Review of Economics of the Household, 6, pp. 243 - 266
    Journal articles | 2006
    Foster G, 2006, 'It's not your peers, and it's not your friends: Some progress toward understanding the educational peer effect mechanism', Journal of Public Economics, 90, pp. 1455 - 1475
    Journal articles | 2006
    Leach M; Pincombe J; Foster G, 2006, 'Clinical Efficacy of Horsechestnut Seed Extract in Venous Leg Ulcer Management', Journal of Wound Care, 15, pp. 159 - 167,
    Journal articles | 2006
    Leach M; Pincombe J; Foster G, 2006, 'Using Horsechestnut Seed Extract in the Treatment of Venous Leg Ulcers: A cost-benefit analysis', Ostomy Wound Management, 52, pp. 68 - 78,
    Journal articles | 2006
    Shanahan M; Foster G; Erik , 2006, 'Operationalising a Threshold Concept in Economics: A Pilot Study Using Multiple Choice Questions on Opportunity Cost', International review of economics education, 5, pp. 29 - 57,
    Journal articles | 2005
    Foster G, 2005, 'Making Friends: A nonexperimental analysis of social pair formation', Human Relations, 58, pp. 1443 - 1465,
  • Working Papers |
    Foster G; Stratton L, Do Significant Labour Market Events Change Who Does the Laundry? Work, chore allocation, and power in Australian households, 2017-06,
  • Conference Papers | 2018
    Coelli M; Foster G; Leigh A, 2018, 'Do School Principals Respond to Increased Public Scrutiny? New Survey Evidence from Australia', in Economic Record, pp. 73 - 101,
    Preprints |
    Chen J; Dobrescu LI; Foster G; Motta A, Can Rank Feedback Avoid Demoralization? A Randomized Controlled Trial, ,
    Preprints |
    Coelli MB; Foster G; Leigh A, Do School Principals Respond to Increased Public Scrutiny? New Survey Evidence from Australia,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Frijters P, Hiding the Elephant: The Tragedy of COVID Policy and its Economist Apologists,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Kalenkoski CM, Measuring the Relative Productivity of Multitasking to Sole-Tasking in Household Production: New Experimental Evidence, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Kalenkoski CM, Tobit or OLS? An Empirical Evaluation Under Different Diary Window Lengths,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Stratton LS, Do Significant Labor Market Events Change Who Does the Chores? Paid Work, Housework and Power in Mixed-Gender Australian Households, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Stratton LS, Do Significant Labour Market Events Change Who Does the Laundry? Work, Chore Allocation, and Power in Australian Households, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Stratton LS, Does Female Breadwinning Make Partnerships Less Healthy or Less Stable?, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G; Stratton LS, What Women Want (Their Men to Do): Housework and Satisfaction in Australian Households, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G, A Diagrammatic Exposition of Regression and Instrumental Variables for the Beginning Student, ,
    Preprints |
    Foster G, The Impact of International and NESB Students on Measured Learning and Standards in Australian Higher Education,
    Preprints |
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, The Multitasking of Household Production,
    Preprints |
    Kalenkoski CM; Foster G, The Multitasking of Household Production, ,
  • Media | 2020
    Foster G, 2020, Correctly counting the cost shows Austrlaia's lockdown was a mistake, ,
    Media | 2020
    Foster G, 2020, We can't cure the virus by making the economy sick,
    Media | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, 15 articles written since 2011, ,
    Media | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, Finland's basic income trial exposes timeless welfare reform dilemma,
    Media | 2018
    Foster G, 2018, Money does affect your happiness, but it's complicated, ,
    Media | 2017
    Foster G; Henderson T, 2017, Debate: Should we be fighting for a Universal Basic Income in Australia?, ,
    Media | 2016
    Foster G, 2016, Are Men Better at Multitasking than Women?, ,
    Media | 2015
    Foster G; Frijters P, 2015, Battlers and plutocrats: How political connections reward Australia’s super-rich, ,