John A. List
John A. List is an American economist celebrated for pioneering the use of field experiments as a rigorous tool in empirical economic analysis. He serves as the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, where his research has reshaped how economists study human behavior outside the laboratory. His innovative methodology has influenced fields ranging from behavioral economics to public policy.
Early Life and Education
John August List was born on September 25, 1968, in the United States. He pursued his academic training in economics, earning credentials that would prepare him for a distinguished career blending theoretical rigor with practical, real-world testing of economic hypotheses. Unlike many economists of his generation who relied primarily on laboratory experiments or observational data, List developed an early interest in testing economic theories in natural, real-world settings. This inclination toward field-based research would become the hallmark of his entire career, setting him apart within the economics profession and eventually establishing him as one of the field's most influential empirical methodologists. His graduate education equipped him with both the theoretical grounding and the curiosity to challenge conventional research approaches, laying the foundation for decades of groundbreaking work that would bridge the gap between abstract economic models and observable human behavior in everyday markets and institutions.
Pioneering Field Experiments in Economics
List's most significant contribution to economics has been his role in establishing field experiments as a legitimate and powerful tool for empirical analysis. Rather than confining research to controlled laboratory settings, List championed conducting experiments in real-world environments—markets, workplaces, and everyday transactions—to better understand actual human decision-making. This approach has been applied to numerous areas including charitable giving, discrimination, and market behavior. Since 2016, he has held the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professorship at the University of Chicago, where he also chaired the Department of Economics from 2012 to 2018. His influence extends beyond Chicago; since 2016, he has also served as Visiting Robert F. Hartsook Chair in Fundraising at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, applying his experimental methods to the study of charitable giving and nonprofit fundraising strategies. In 2025, he assumed the directorship of the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, further cementing his leadership role within one of the world's premier economics departments.
Did You Know?
John A. List helped pioneer the use of field experiments—testing economic theories in real-world settings like sports card markets and charitable fundraising campaigns—rather than relying solely on controlled laboratory studies, fundamentally changing how modern economists gather evidence about human behavior.
Recognition and Lasting Legacy
List's contributions to economics have earned him widespread recognition within the academic community. In 2011, he was elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest honorary societies recognizing leading thinkers across disciplines. That same year, he was also elected a Fellow of the Econometric Society, an international honor reserved for economists who have made significant advances in economic theory and its relation to statistics and mathematics. In 2024, Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society for economics, awarded List its biennial John R. Commons Award, a recognition given to distinguished economists for their contributions to the field. Beyond these honors, List's true legacy lies in the methodological transformation he has helped bring to economics: field experiments are now a standard and respected tool used by researchers worldwide to test theories about human behavior in authentic settings. His work has influenced how economists approach questions of policy, philanthropy, and market design, ensuring that his impact will continue to shape the discipline for generations of scholars to come.
