
Overview
Background
Dr David Smerdon is a Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in the School of Economics. He primarily works in behavioral and development economics. His research involves theory and modelling, experiments in the lab and field, and microeconometric analysis in order to investigate topics at the intersection of these fields.
David earned his PhD from the Tinbergen Institute and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) as a General Sir John Monash scholar, and afterwards worked as a PODER fellow at Bocconi University in Milan. His research often involves collaboration with non-academic partners, ranging from aid agencies and NGOs like US AID and Save the Children, to tech companies like Chess.com.
Prior to his academic career, David spent three years working for the Australian Department of Treasury as a policy analyst. David is also a chess Grandmaster and has represented Australia at seven chess Olympiads. Combining his passions, David occasionally conducts niche research in chess economics on topics such as gender inequality, cheating, and the life cycle of cognitive performance, supported by organisations such as the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and Chessable.
Availability
- Dr David Smerdon is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Amsterdam
Research interests
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Behavioural Economics
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Development Economics
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Migration
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Game theory
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Cultural Economics
Research impacts
David's research motivation is focussed on policy-relevant issues, particularly those where behavioural economics can be applied to social policy. Examples of recent projects include:
- The social impact of refugee resettlement in Australia
- Policy solutions to eradicate female genital mutilation in Somalia
- Predicting when and how harmful social norms can be broken down
- Understanding the relationship between income inequality and trust within societies
- The relationship between gendered preferences and cross-country differences in gender equality in competitive environments
Works
Search Professor David Smerdon’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
A Stepping Stone Approach to Norm Transitions
Gulesci, Selim, Jindani, Sam, La Ferrara, Eliana, Smerdon, David, Sulaiman, Munshi and Young, Peyton (2025). A Stepping Stone Approach to Norm Transitions. American Economic Review, 115 (7), 2237-2266. doi: 10.1257/aer.20230458
2025
Journal Article
Physical proximity drives gay discrimination in the gig economy
Smerdon, David, Pearson, Samuel and Albrecht, Sabina (2025). Physical proximity drives gay discrimination in the gig economy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122 (11) e2412362122, 1-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2412362122
2024
Journal Article
AI in essay-based assessment: Student adoption, usage, and performance
Smerdon, David (2024). AI in essay-based assessment: Student adoption, usage, and performance. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7 100288, 100288. doi: 10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100288
2024
Other Outputs
Gender differences in corrupt behaviour: evidence from elite chess tournaments
Dilmaghani, Maryam and Smerdon, David (2024). Gender differences in corrupt behaviour: evidence from elite chess tournaments. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.4864325
2024
Journal Article
Reproducibility in Management Science
Fisar, Milos, Greiner, Ben, Huber, Christoph, Katok, Elena, Ozkes, Ali I., Management Science Reproducibility Collaboration, Luong, Hoang (Management Science Reproducibility Collaboration), Humphrey, Jacquelyn (Management Science Reproducibility Collaboration), Nguyen, Lily (Management Science Reproducibility Collaboration) and Smerdon, David C. (Management Science Reproducibility Collaboration) (2024). Reproducibility in Management Science. Management Science, 70 (3), 1343-1356. doi: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.03556
2024
Journal Article
Nationalism in online games during war
Bilen, Eren, Doghonadze, Nino, Khubulashvili, Robizon and Smerdon, David (2024). Nationalism in online games during war. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.4833809
2023
Journal Article
Cooperation in the time of COVID
Butterworth, Jade, Smerdon, David, Baumeister, Roy and von Hippel, William (2023). Cooperation in the time of COVID. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 19 (4), 17456916231178719-651. doi: 10.1177/17456916231178719
2023
Other Outputs
Report: 2023 FIDE Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI)
Smerdon, D., Meyer, C. B., Reizniece-Ozola, D., Rodrigo-Yanguas, M. and Sorokina, A. (2023). Report: 2023 FIDE Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI). Lausanne, Switzerland; Brisbane, QLD, Australia: FIDE; The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/9bb291f
2022
Journal Article
The effect of masks on cognitive performance
Smerdon, David (2022). The effect of masks on cognitive performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (49) e2206528119, 1-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2206528119
2022
Journal Article
The social capital effects of refugee resettlement on host communities*
Albrecht, Sabina and Smerdon, David (2022). The social capital effects of refugee resettlement on host communities*. Economic Record, 98 (320), 80-112. doi: 10.1111/1475-4932.12654
2020
Journal Article
Higher economic inequality intensifies the financial hardship of people living in poverty by fraying the community buffer
Jachimowicz, Jon M., Szaszi, Barnabas, Lukas, Marcel, Smerdon, David, Prabhu, Jaideep and Weber, Elke U. (2020). Higher economic inequality intensifies the financial hardship of people living in poverty by fraying the community buffer. Nature Human Behaviour, 4 (7), 702-712. doi: 10.1038/s41562-020-0849-2
2020
Journal Article
Female chess players show typical stereotype-threat effects: commentary on Stafford (2018)
Smerdon, David, Hu, Hairong, McLennan, Andrew, von Hippel, William and Albrecht, Sabina (2020). Female chess players show typical stereotype-threat effects: commentary on Stafford (2018). Psychological Science, 31 (6), 756-759. doi: 10.1177/0956797620924051
2019
Journal Article
‘Everybody’s doing it’: on the persistence of bad social norms
Smerdon, David, Offerman, Theo and Gneezy, Uri (2019). ‘Everybody’s doing it’: on the persistence of bad social norms. Experimental Economics, 23 (2), 392-420. doi: 10.1007/s10683-019-09616-z
2018
Journal Article
Longevity of outstanding sporting achievers: mind versus muscle
Tran-Duy, An, Smerdon, David C. and Clarke, Philip M. (2018). Longevity of outstanding sporting achievers: mind versus muscle. PLoS one, 13 (5) e0196938, e0196938. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196938
2016
Other Outputs
Everybody's doing it: On the Emergence and Persistence of Bad Social Norms
Smerdon, David, Offerman, Theo and Gneezy, Uri (2016). Everybody's doing it: On the Emergence and Persistence of Bad Social Norms. Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers. 16-023/I. Tinbergen Institute.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr David Smerdon is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Gender Disparities in Online Charitable Giving: Enhancing Donations with AI Nudge
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lana Friesen
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Doctor Philosophy
Diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) in innovation and patent inventorship in quantum biotechnology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Allison Fish
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Doctor Philosophy
The Desirable Dad Hypothesis: An Ultimate Evolutionary Account of Male Same-Sex Attraction
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr David Smerdon directly for media enquiries about:
- behavioural economics
- biases
- economics
- female circumcision
- gender
- inequality
- integration
- refugees
- social norms
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