Inauguration of the INSEAD-Sorbonne University Distinguished Visiting Chair in Behavioural Sciences took place on the 30 January, 2018
INSEAD, the business school for the world, and Sorbonne University, a world-class research university, today reaffirm their commitment to research excellence in Behavioural Sciences with the establishment of the INSEAD-Sorbonne University Distinguished Visiting Chair in Behavioural Sciences. Professor Wendy Wood, a globally recognised academic and researcher, is appointed the first holder of the Visiting Chair position.
The goal of the Distinguished Visiting Chair is to promote behavioural research at Sorbonne University, based on the extended expertise of the INSEAD-Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab, a custom-designed lab offering world-class facilities for behavioural research. Since its founding in Paris in 2002, more than 101,000 people have participated in research on topics such as individual and group decision making, perception, emotion, and consumption.
Pierre Chandon, INSEAD Professor of Marketing and the Director of INSEAD-Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab, stated that, “Since its inauguration, over 138 peer-reviewed articles based on research conducted at the Lab have been published in the most prestigious academic journals. This is a great achievement and bears testimony to the quality of the Lab’s research across various fields.” He added that, “I am delighted to welcome Professor Wendy Wood to the INSEAD Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab. As one of the world’s experts on habits and gender differences in behaviour, Professor Wood will contribute greatly to the mission of the lab, which is to promote behavioural research and methods to all the disciplines of Sorbonne University and INSEAD.”
To mark this significant occasion, INSEAD and Sorbonne University held the inauguration of the INSEAD-Sorbonne University Distinguished Visiting Chair in Behavioural Sciences at the Grand Amphithéâtre of the Sorbonne on Tuesday, 30 January, 2018 at 18:30. Eminent guests and academics from both institutions spoke at the event including Jean Chambaz, President, Sorbonne University, Barthélémy Jobert, former President of Paris-Sorbonne University, Peter Zemsky, Deputy Dean of INSEAD and Pierre Chandon, Director of the INSEAD Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab.
Professor Wendy Wood gave an inaugural lecture on “Habits: Understanding Ourselves and Other Consumers”. Everyone has habits, but little is known about how they work. Professor Wood explained how habits work and why we know so little about them. In reality, about 43 percent of what we do every day is habitual. Participants learnt through this lecture that it is an important 43 percent. Understanding the psychology of habit is central for changing—and maintaining—consumer behaviour.
With improved understanding of consumer habits, businesses can better predict the success and failure of new products. Participants left this lecture with new insights into the automatic mechanisms driving their own and others’ actions.
To find out more, please visit www.insead.edu/events/inauguration-insead-sorbonne-university-chair.
