Justin Sydnor is the Leslie P. Schultz Professor in Risk Management and Insurance and an associate professor in the Department of Risk and Insurance at the Wisconsin School of Business.
He joined the Wisconsin School of Business from Case Western Reserve University, where he was an assistant professor of economics with the Weatherhead School of Management.
His research interests are in psychology and economics, applied microeconomics, (behavioral) industrial organization, insurance markets, and risk and decision making.
Sydnor earned his B.A. in economics and German from UW-Madison and his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Selected Published Journal Articles
Bhargava, S. & Loewenstein, G. & Sydnor, J. (2017).
Choose to Lose: Health Plan Choices From a Menu With Dominated Options. Quarterly Journal of Economics (132), 1319-1372.
Busse, M. & Lacetera, N. & Pope, D. & Silva-Risso, J. & Sydnor, J. (2013).
Estimating the Effect of Salience in Wholesale and Retail Car Markets. American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings (103), 575-579. doi: 10.1257/aer.103.3.575.
Lacetera, N. & Pope, D. & Sydnor, J. (2012).
Heuristic Thinking and Limited Attention in the Car Market. American Economic Review (102), 2206-2236. doi: 10.1257/aer.102.5.2206.
Pope, D. & Sydnor, J. (2011).
Implementing Anti-discrimination Policies in Statistical Profiling Models. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy (3), 206-231. doi: 10.1257/pol.3.3.206.
Garbarino, E. & Slonim, R. & Sydnor, J. (2011).
Digit Ratios (2D:4D) Predict Risk Taking for Men and Women. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty (42), 1-26. doi: 10.1007/s11166-010-9109-6.
Pope, D. & Sydnor, J. (2011).
What's in a Picture? Evidence of Discrimination from Prosper.com. Journal of Human Resources (46), 53-92.
Sydnor, J. (2010).
(Over)Insuring Modest Risks. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2), 177-199. doi: 10.1257/app.2.4.177.
Wharton, D. & Sydnor, J. (2010).
Geographic Variation in the Gender Differences in Test Scores. Journal of Economic Perspectives (24), 95-108. doi: 10.1257/jep.24.2.95.
Practitioner-Oriented Publications
Liu, C. & Sydnor, J. (2018). Dominated Options in Health-Insurance Plans.
Undergraduate Courses
Risk Analytics and Behavioral ScienceThis course aims to enhance students' ability to navigate uncertainty. The course provides an overview about what we know about the challenges people face in situations with risk and uncertainty. We will use that knowledge to help students identify decisi
(RMI 660 Section 002), Spring 2016.
Download SyllabusRisk Analytics and Behavioral ScienceThis course aims to enhance students' ability to navigate uncertainty. The course provides an overview about what we know about the challenges people face in situations with risk and uncertainty. We will use that knowledge to help students identify decisi
(RMI 660 Section 003), Spring 2016.
Download SyllabusProperty Risk ManagementComprehensive analysis of loss control and transfer techniques (including insurance), risk management concepts, loss adjustment and underwriting problems, and profitability/regulatory issues concerning the insurance industry. Current topics: large-scale c
(RMI 610 Section 1), Spring 2011.
Property Risk ManagementComprehensive analysis of loss control and transfer techniques (including insurance), risk management concepts, loss adjustment and underwriting problems, and profitability/regulatory issues concerning the insurance industry. Current topics: large-scale c
(RMI 610 Section 1), Fall 2011.
Download SyllabusGraduate Courses
Seminar in Actuarial Science, Risk Management and InsuranceDoctoral seminar in actuarial science, risk management and insurance with emphasis on developing an appreciation of existing literature and appropriate skills to conduct own scholarly work in the field.
(RMI 920), Spring 2011.
Adv Topics in Risk ManagementExamination of data collection and analysis methods for risk management decisions. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data to support transfer, retention, and loss control decisions, including loss trending, and evaluation of regulatory controls.
(RMI 820 Section 1), Fall 2010.
Principles of Risk ManagementBackground for advanced work in insurance. Nature of risk, principal techniques of risk management, and the bases for decision making in management of business and personal risks.
(RMI 700 Section 1), Fall 2011.
Download Syllabus