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From the psychology behind everyday decisions to the economic and cultural forces that shape consumer behavior, the brings together leading scholars from across disciplines to chart the future of decision-making research.

This August 12–15, the Leeds School of Business will welcome approximately 500 scholars from around the world to Vail, Colorado, for the 13th Choice Symposium, one of the leading conferences focused on human decision-making and consumer behavior. This year's event is co-chaired by Leeds faculty members Alix Barasch, Nicholas Reinholtz, Amit Bhattacharjee and Phil Fernbach.

Leeds caught up with Reinholtz (pictured right) to learn more about the symposium and what it means for the school to host it for the first time.

Tell us a bit about the symposium.

The Choice Symposium happens every three years, and the first one was hosted in 1989 by Duke University. The idea behind it is that research on human decision-making is inherently interdisciplinary, including psychology, economics, marketing, management, sociology and more. The event brings together interdisciplinary experts on specific topics to synthesize current research and establish an agenda for future research. The confluence of scholars is exciting and the hope is to generate new ideas that will shape our field for years to come.

There are more than 30 workshops across four days. Can you describe the typical format and goals?

are centered around a specific theme, such as “The Cognitive and Cultural Roots of Lay Economic Misperceptions.” Groups of 12–18 experts convene around each theme, bringing a specific perspective on the topic. Workshop participants gather in the same room for sessions across three days. Workshop chairs can structure their time however they best see fit, with the goal of allowing each participant time to present and ample time for group discussion. Many groups choose to write a paper summarizing the current thinking on the topic and then proposing a research agenda moving forward. As this year’s co-chairs, we will serve as guest editors for the journal Marketing Letters, where the best of these papers will be accepted for publication.

What makes the Choice Symposium distinct from other academic conferences in this field?

Most academic conferences in our areas are structured around paper presentations, and conference participants typically attend whatever presentations they find most interesting. This symposium is about convening small groups of people with a common interest, allowing them to come together to generate new ideas.

What does it mean for Leeds to host this symposium?

I think I can speak for all of the co-chairs and say that we are proud of Leeds. I believe that being selected to host this conference reflects our reputation for thought leadership. Many influential people are coming to the event, and I think that’s a testament to the quality of Leeds, the broader CU community, and the amazing state of Colorado.