Nilufer Cetik

I am an applied microeconomist with a focus on behavioral and experimental economics. My research examines individual food choices, the determinants of dietary habits, and biased decision-making through the lens of Prospect Theory. 

I am a doctoral candidate in the Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University. My current projects focus on consumer decision-making, with particular attention to healthy dietary habits, food choices, and stress-induced biases in both consumption and agricultural contexts. I investigate stress-induced biases in food and agricultural decision-making using experimental methods such as auctions, discrete choice experiments, and monetary lotteries, and in my current work, I also integrate psychological stress measures and physiological stress biomarkers. More broadly, my work seeks to support consumers in making healthier, less biased decisions in their food choices, dietary habits, and food-related financial behaviors. Earlier in my career, I conducted research in health and education economics using secondary data, which broadened my empirical foundation and sharpened my interest in applied microeconomics. In the long term, my goal is to link behavioral insights with actionable policies that improve consumer decision-making and well-being.

I completed my master’s degree in Istanbul before moving to Arizona in 2020, where I embraced new cultural traditions and ways of life. The region’s mild winters gave me opportunities to hike, go horseback riding, and connect with nature, while in the summer I often escaped to the seaside to scuba dive and visit the underwater world. These experiences keep me grounded and continually remind me of the broader environmental, social, and psychological contexts in which agricultural and food systems operate.