Christopher Gustafson

Christopher Gustafson is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, housed within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). His office is located at Filley Hall (FYH) 314A, Lincoln, NE 68583-0922, with contact via phone (402-318-5712) or email (cgustafson6@unl.edu). His research bridges agricultural economics, behavioral science, and public health through rigorous experimental methodologies.

Professor Gustafson's work centers on consumer decision-making processes in food and health contexts. He investigates how information exposure, health prompts, and environmental messaging influence nutritional choices, portion size selection, and responses to food fraud. His experimental approach employs economic tools like auctions and discrete choice experiments to quantify behavioral responses, with particular focus on cognitive processes during food selection, pandemic-driven dietary shifts, and interventions for healthier eating. Key themes include information avoidance during health crises, personalized nutrition strategies, and the impact of socioeconomic factors on healthcare access.

Analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals consistent emphasis on experimental validation of behavioral interventions. His research demonstrates how point-of-decision prompts increase attention to health attributes without altering time preferences, how personalized product sets improve dietary choices, and how information framing affects valuation of sustainable products. Methodologically, he combines laboratory experiments with real-world applications, particularly examining honey fraud responses, plant-based meat adoption, and pandemic-related consumption changes through causal inference frameworks.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

The provided documentation contains no details regarding Professor Gustafson's student advising activities or grant funding history. His professional focus appears centered on experimental research design and publication rather than mentorship documentation in the available materials.

While specific laboratory facilities aren't described, his research methodology consistently employs experimental economics techniques including incentivized choice tasks, discrete choice experiments, and cognitive process tracking. This suggests involvement with behavioral economics labs capable of conducting controlled food choice experiments, though no named research teams or collaborative groups are specified in the source material.