David J. Cooper

David J. Cooper is Professor of Economics at the University of East Anglia, School of Economics, and also holds the position of Tippie and Rollins Professor of Economics and Departmental Executive Officer at the University of Iowa. He is a member of the Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Science and actively contributes to the field of experimental economics.

• PhD, Princeton University (1993)
• A.B., Harvard University (1988)

Professor Cooper’s research focuses on experimental economics, particularly in game theory, organizational economics, and entrepreneurship. His work explores learning in strategic environments, team decision-making, coordination failure, and the impact of communication on collusion and cooperation. He investigates how individuals and teams behave in economic games, with a strong emphasis on behavioral aspects such as social preferences, fairness, and leadership.

His recent publications (2021–2025) span top journals like American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, The Economic Journal, and Management Science, revealing a consistent focus on leadership, team dynamics, and strategic reasoning. The articles reflect a methodological emphasis on laboratory experiments and behavioral analysis, often in repeated games, public goods settings, and signaling environments. Key themes include the effectiveness of leadership across contexts, truth-telling, team discussions in prisoner’s dilemma games, and depth of reasoning in strategic models.

Dr. Cooper is joint Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Economics, a leading journal in the field. He has received multiple grants from the National Science Foundation, underscoring his role in securing competitive research funding. While specific advisees are not listed, his extensive collaboration with scholars such as John Kagel, Jordi Brandts, and Enrique Fatas suggests active mentorship and team-based research.

He is affiliated with experimental economics labs at both the University of East Anglia and the University of Iowa, contributing to centers focused on behavioral and experimental social science. His work bridges theoretical game models with real-world organizational behavior, offering insights into how institutions can foster better coordination and decision-making.