Laurence R. Iannaccone

Laurence R. Iannaccone is a Professor of Economics at Chapman University’s George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics and Co-Director of the Institute for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Society (IRES). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, along with a B.S. in Mathematics from Stanford University. His career includes prior roles as the Koch Professor of Economics at George Mason University and faculty positions at Santa Clara University and Stanford’s Hoover Institution.

• Education
  • Stanford University, B.S. in Mathematics (1975)
  • University of Chicago, M.A. in Economics (1982), M.S. in Mathematics (1977), Ph.D. in Economics (1984)

Iannaccone pioneered the economic analysis of religion, focusing on religious markets, strictness, and fertility. His work explains how prohibitions and sacrifices enhance group cohesion and how secularization reshapes societies. Recent research includes experimental studies on superstition, cooperation, and costly commitments, published in top journals like American Economic Review and Journal of Political Economy. He is currently authoring two books on the economics of religion.

Scientific Awards and Honors

• National Fellow, Hoover Institution (1989/90)
• Visiting Scholar, Hoover Institution (1996/97)

His 2013 article "God Games: An Experimental Study of Uncertainty, Superstition, and Cooperation" demonstrated how unproductive costs foster cooperation, while his 2009 "Economics of Religion" chapter with Bainbridge established frameworks for interdisciplinary studies. Iannaccone’s work remains foundational in understanding the intersection of economics, sociology, and religious behavior.