Sigrid Suetens

Sigrid Suetens is Professor at the Department of Economics of Tilburg University, where she conducts research at the intersection of experimental and behavioral economics. Her work examines fundamental questions about human cooperation, strategic decision-making, and social preferences through carefully designed laboratory and field experiments.

Her primary research interests focus on understanding motives for cooperation in dilemma games (including strategic versus non-strategic motives, role of strategic environment, and guilt aversion) and ethnic discrimination. Suetens employs experimental methodologies to investigate how individuals make decisions in strategic environments and how social identity influences economic behavior. Her work demonstrates how experimental economics can provide insights into real-world social phenomena by testing theoretical predictions under controlled conditions.

Suetens' publication record shows a clear trajectory from foundational work in game theory and decision-making toward increasingly applied research on social issues, particularly ethnic discrimination. Her recent papers (2022-2025) demonstrate growing interest in the intersection of experimental methods with labor economics and political economy, examining topics like meritocratic standards, coordination failure, and ethnic salience. The consistent appearance of her work in both economics-specific journals and multidisciplinary outlets reflects the broad relevance of her research.

Suetens teaches courses in micro-economics and experimental economics at Tilburg University, contributing to the next generation of economic researchers. Her educational background includes a PhD in applied economics from the University of Antwerp (2005), which provided the foundation for her subsequent research career focused on experimental approaches to economic questions.