Dr Ariel Gu is an Assistant Professor in Behavioural Finance at the University of East Anglia and serves as the Research Lead for the Behavioural Finance cluster at the Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Science (CBESS). She holds a BSc in Economics, an MSc in Finance and Investment, and a PhD from Durham University. Before joining UEA, Ariel held academic appointments at Durham University Business School and Newcastle Business School.
Ariel specialises in Behavioural Finance and Applied Econometrics, focusing on the behavioural traits that influence financial decision-making. While traditional decision-making models, like expected utility maximisation, assume rational behaviour, Ariel’s research investigates frequent deviations from these models to better understand financial decision-making processes. She measures and quantifies individuals’ preferences and their understanding of risk and uncertainty, bridging the gap between theoretical benchmarks and observed behaviours.
Her analytical approach often begins with formal models that portray individuals as rational decision-makers. She then compares these idealised frameworks with actual behaviours observed in experiments to develop models that more accurately reflect underlying psychological processes. These models incorporate elements of bounded rationality and interpersonal heterogeneity in preferences, beliefs, and reactions to new information. By combining insights from experimental economics, cognitive psychology, statistical modelling, and finance, Ariel adopts a data-driven and interdisciplinary approach to her research. Her primary goal is to understand how individuals make financial decisions in complex environments and adapt to evolving situations.
BSc Economics
MSc Finance and Investment
PhD