Some Omissions

The survey on experimental economics (EPW, 27 August, Vol XLVI, No 35) was exhaustive. However, there were some important omissions.

First of all the survey does not mention the contributions of George Katona. He b elonged to the Michigan School and introduced an approach emphasising empirical observation of behaviour. Katona used surveys to learn attitudes, aspirations, s ocial learning, cognition, etc, and depended on the use of Gestalt and social psychology. He did not assume rationality to explain economic decision-making. His a pproach had elements of positivism, but not the strict positivism of the mainstream. Here is a quote about his contribution (American Psychologist, Vol 33, Issue 1, January 1978, pp 69-74):