Alexander Svenson
Here's a bit about me:
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I am a researcher and clinical psychologist working at the intersection of psychology, economics, and neuroscience. My research investigates how affect and mental health shape human decision-making — with implications for both clinical practice and policy.
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I am completing a PhD in Economics at the University of Sydney, where my thesis examines individual variation in preferences, reward processing, and regret.
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(PhD thesis submitted 26th February and under examination)
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Alongside my research, I have over a decade of clinical experience across private practice, public health, and NGO settings, and I hold endorsement as a clinical psychologist with AHPRA. I am actively seeking academic positions in economics, psychology, or related disciplines.
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Contact
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Telephone: +61 413 097 108
My interests span the fields of
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psychology
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economics (behavioural, applied micro)
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neuroeconomics
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psychiatry (computational models)
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CV / Resume
Education​
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​Ph.D. Economics, The University of Sydney (under examination, submitted 26th February 2026)
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M.A. Economic Analysis, The University of Sydney, 2020
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Grad. Cert. Economics, The University of Sydney, 2018
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M.A. Psychology (clinical), The University of Wollongong, 2015
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B.A. Psychology (Honours class I), The University of Wollongong, 2013
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Professional & organisational work
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​Clinical psychologist in
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Private practice​
and previously for -
Local health district (South-East Sydney)
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NGOs
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(AHPRA Registration number: PSY0001892550)
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Board member of Australian Clinical Psychology Association (since 2021)​
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Skills
Clinical
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Psychiatric / mental health assessment
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Psychological intervention (e.g., Cognitive Behaviour Therapy)
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Clinical supervision
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Psychometric testing
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Multidisciplinary teamwork
Research
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Planning and managing projects, including ethics, data, stakeholders and (clinical) participants
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Designing and conducting human-subject experimental (laboratory) research
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Research supervision
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Statistical analysis, including Stata, R, and MCMC methods (hierarchical Bayesian in RStan)
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Research
Main focus
Seminars & conferences
Grants & awards
Working papers &
publications
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Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
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Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Completion Scholarship, 2025
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Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS), University of Sydney, 2024
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Capacity Building Award, The Life Course Centre, 2023, 2024
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Depressive mood and reward evaluation are linked via the reference point
​(with Agnieszka Tymula and Paul Glimcher, part of thesis)
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Regret and decision-making: links between self-report and behavioural measures of regret
​(thesis chapter)
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Depressive symptoms and self-reported versus behavioural regret during decision-making
(thesis chapter)
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Utilising self-reports when researching affect: a conceptual framework
(thesis chapter)
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McDermott, M. S., Oliver, M., Svenson, A., Simnadis, T., Beck, E. J., Coltman,T., Don, I., Caputi, P. & Sharma, R. (2015). The theory of planned behaviour and discrete food choices: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1), 162. doi: 10.1186/s12966-015-0324-z
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2025. Asia-Pacific Meeting of Economic Society Association in Osaka, Japan (presentation)
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2024. Australia New Zealand Workshop on Experimental Economics hosted by Australian National University in Canberra, Australia (presentation)
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2024. Society of Neuroeconomics Conference in Cascais, Portugal (poster)
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2024. Foundations of Utility and Risk Conference in Brisbane, Australia (presentation)
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2023. Neuroeconomics Summer School at University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, US (poster)
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2022. Life Course Centre Workshop hosted by the University of Sydney (Sydney node) (presentation)
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2019. Australia New Zealand Workshop in Experimental Economics hosted by Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (presentation)
My aim is to clarify the roles played by affect (emotions and moods) and mental health during human decision-making. A guiding idea is that affective states are decisional-states, reflecting an integration of information - broadly encompassing a person's internal and external environments - and which result in specific responses (cognitive/computational and behavioural).
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I apply experiments grounded in behavioural economics and psychology to garner behavioural data. I favour both traditional statistics and econometric analysis, as well more modern simulation methods involving Bayesian hierarchical modelling. In addition to experiments, I'm interested in using larger panel data to explore the links between mental health, decision-making and a person's environment. Ultimately, I believe a better understanding of how our mental health and emotions shape our thinking and choices should play a role in policy development.
Previous research roles
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Research assistant for Associate Professor Pablo A. Guillen, School of Economics, The University of Sydney, 2016-2017
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Research assistant for Associate Professor Rajeev Sharma and Dr Martin McDermott, School of Engineering and Information Sciences, The University of Wollongong, 2013-2015
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Clinical / research assistant for Dr Maria Stylianou Korsnes, Old Age Psychiatry Department, University of Oslo Hospital, 2012
Teaching
Developing coursework material. I developed online content for the postgraduate unit OECO5017: Causal Effects in Practice, under the guidance of Associate Professor Marian Vidal-Fernandez, with the University of Sydney. The material focused on statistical analysis techniques that may be used to infer causality from observational data, while also emphasising and elaborating on the assumptions required to allow such inference. Materials included programming guides in R, tutorials unpacking experimental concepts and statistical analysis with reference to empirical research, and professional recordings.
Supervising student research projects. I've supervised post-graduate students completing their empirical research thesis with the University of Technology Sydney and with the University of Sydney. This has involved facilitating projects from initial conception to thesis production.
Unit tutor in economics. For the unit Economics of Law and Public Policy (ECON5006), taught at the School of Economics, The University of Sydney; I created and presenting online tutorials that focused on applied econometrics, including key concepts, theory and statistical methods (applying R, with video instructions).
Supervising student on clinical placement. In my roles as clinical psychologist with the Prince of Wales hospital (SESLHD) and with the Black Dog Institute, I've had the privilege of supervising multiple students completing their placements as part of their post-graduate clinical psychology training (e.g., Master's of clinical psychology).