I am a Research Associate and PhD candidate in Economics at the Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Magdeburg, supervised by Karim Sadrieh.
My research field is behavioral and experimental economics. I investigate what factors cause deep discontent to develop, and what factors amplify and mitigate it. More specifically, I use experimental methods to investigate how unfavorable outcomes lead to discontent, how voice mitigates this, and what role biased belief updating and humbugging could play in amplifying it.
I studied at the University of Passau, where I earned a B.Sc. in Business Administration and Economics and an M.A. in International Economics and Business. Outside of academia, I am an active French horn player in the Sinfonieorchester Magdeburger Musikfreunde and a French horn quartet. I am also an avid runner and a devoted aunt.
Research
Giving a Voice – Increasing Individual Self-Expression to Enhance the Resilience to System Discontent
Single-authored
Does voice have value beyond its ability to influence outcomes? This paper investigates whether self-expression carries intrinsic value-expressive value, independent of its instrumental impact on decisions, in mitigating system discontent and system disbelief. I examine this across three policy selection mechanisms: Dictator, AI, and Borda Count.
Feeling Forgotten – The Rise of System Disbelief
with Karim Sadrieh
What happens when people repeatedly experience unfavorable outcomes from their group's policy selection system? This paper investigates how such experiences lead to system discontent and system disbelief, and how framing can mitigate this.
Beyond the Contract: Fairness, Observability, and Discretionary Effort
with Simon Halliday, Eugene Malthouse, and Anastasia Papadopoulou
When and why do employees go beyond their formal job description? This paper investigates how fairness perceptions and the observability of voluntary effort shape organizational citizenship behaviors.
Something Always Sticks – Strategic Bullshit and the Reliance on Uninformed Sources
with Jannik T. Greif and Karim Sadrieh
Can uninformed but goal-oriented communication still shape behavior? This paper tests whether strategic bullshit sways extraction decisions in a common-pool resource game with an unknown tipping point.
Seen One, Seen Them All
with Max R. P. Grossmann and Karim Sadrieh
Does a single interaction shape how we judge an entire group? This paper examines whether individuals overgeneralize negative signals about out-group members while dismissing equivalent information about their own group.
Teaching
I teach courses in E-Business, market communication, and environmental economics at the University of Magdeburg. I have supervised 23 master's theses and 29 bachelor's theses. I am a four-time Teaching Award Winner at the Faculty of Economics and Management: 1st prize (Master, summer 2026), 1st prize (Bachelor, summer 2026), 2nd prize (Bachelor, winter 2024), and 3rd prize (Bachelor, winter 2023).
Contact
Office G22B-305, University of Magdeburg
Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg
mathilde.bechdolf@ovgu.de
+49 391 67-58796
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