Elizabeth
Schwab
Elizabeth Schwab
- Campus Online
- DepartmentIO/Business Psychology, Organization Leadership, Behavioral Economics
- InstitutionThe Chicago School
Biography
Dr. Elizabeth Schwab, Psy.D., is a prominent behavioral scientist, professor, and the founding chair of the M.A. in Behavioral Economics program at The Chicago School. She served as the Program Chair for both the Business Psychology Division and the Behavioral Economics program from 2014 to 2025. Her work bridges the gap between traditional psychological principles and consumer decision-making, with a specialized focus on how human factors influence complex environments like modern healthcare systems.
Core Areas of Expertise
Healthcare Decision-Making: Dr. Schwab researches how biases, emotions, and systemic pressures affect clinical choices made by healthcare providers, mapping out how these factors shape the ultimate patient care journey.
Behavioral Economics vs. Traditional Economics: She specializes in studying human irrationality and economic anomalies. While traditional economic models assume perfect consumer rationality, her academic work utilizes psychological mechanisms to understand real-world, unpredictable consumer behaviors.
Media & Information Spread: She actively provides expert commentary on the mechanics of social media, the propagation of misinformation, and strategies for building empathetic communication across differing cultural or social views.
Media Commentary & Thought Leadership
Dr. Schwab is a regular public speaker and media contributor who translates complex psychological concepts into practical insights for mainstream audiences:
The Modern Midlife Crisis: Featured on FOX 32 Chicago, she has challenged outdated tropes of midlife transitions (such as erratic, flashy purchases), reframing them as quiet, internal periods of deep personal reflection driven by shifting definitions of success, health, and financial realities.
Financial Trends: Appearing on CNN, she analyzed social media trends like TikTok's "loud budgeting" movement to explain how open financial communication alters consumer savings habits.
Habit Formation: On platforms like WGN Radio, she has broken down the behavioral science behind commitments like "Dry January," explaining the underlying mechanics of habit formation and behavior modification.
For further details regarding her academic background or speaking engagements, you can view her professional updates on LinkedIn or visit her personal hub at Dr. Elizabeth Schwab's Website.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-schwab-psy-d-7732b919
Website: https://drelizabethschwab.com/
Education History
Degree Institution B.A. Psychology University of Wisconsin-Whitewater M.A. Industrial/Organizational Psychology: Organizational Effectiveness The Chicago School Psy. D. Business Psychology The Chicago School Professional Memberships
Role Organization Member American Psychological Association (APA) Member Society for Judgment and Decision Making (SJDM) Member Society for Consumer Psychology Member International Leadership Association (ILA) Member Academy of Management (AOM) Consulting Editor Psychology of Leaders and Leadership Journal Presentations
Title Location Date Heavy Minds in Heavy Times Palatine, IL 2026 Purpose or Prestige – Does shoppers’ lifestyle match the brand’s mission? Chicago, IL 2026 The Science of Credibility: Communicating Complex Science to Diverse Stakeholders Rosemont, IL 2026 Moving Beyond Polarization: Cultivating Curiosity; Compassion; and Collaboration Prague, Czech Republic. 2025 Authenticity; Communion and Catharsis: A Mini-Expressive Writing Workshop Prague, Czech Republic. 2025 The Smart, Future-Driven Investor: Navigating Purpose and Performance in Modern Financial Behavior Virtual 2025 Building Trust in a Skeptical World: Using Human Truth to Connect with Patients and HCPs San Francisco, CA 2025 Using Courageous Inquiry in the Search for Common Ground Charleston, SC 2025 Teaching Intuition in Management Education Chicago, IL 2024 Well-being for educators New Orleans, LA 2024 Well-being for consultants Austin, TX 2024 Creating Poetry to Imagine Thriving Futures Into Being Vancouver, BC, Canada 2023 How to Save Democracy: Countering misinformation disinformation and alternative facts Vancouver, BC, Canada 2023 Roche Lunch & Learn Basel, Switzerland 2023 The rise of alternative facts: Using techniques from motivational interviewing to increase authentic connections Los Angeles, CA 2023 Beyond ‘Accommodations’: Addressing Social Anxiety and the Online Adult Learner Virtual 2023 Misinformation disinformation and the rise of alternative facts: Understanding the current context of consumer behavior. Virtual 2023 Cultivating wisdom through the use of intuitive leadership Virtual 2022 Best practices in online adult learning Chicago, Il 2022 The rise of alternative facts: Using MI to strengthen relationships in the classroom Chicago, Il 2022 Micro-credentialing: Strategies for development and success Virtual 2022 The rise of alternative facts: Using MI to strengthen relationships in the classroom Virtual 2022 HCPs are human too: Decoding the truth behind prescribing behavior San Francisco, CA 2022 Motivational interviewing and strategic communications: Tools for talent attraction and social responsibility Orlando, Fl 2022 HCPs are human too: Decoding the truth behind prescribing behavior Newark, NJ 2022 Using motivational interviewing to strengthen doctor-patient relationships: Constructively countering misinformation, disinformation, and "alternative facts." Toronto, Canada 2022 Misinformation and disinformation: How motivational interviewing strengthens relationships at work Chicago, IL 2022 HCPs are human too: Decoding the truth behind prescribing behavior–Part 1, Virtual 2022 HCPs are human too: Decoding the truth behind prescribing behavior–Part 2, Virtual 2022 HCPs are human too: Decoding the truth behind prescribing behavior. Newark, NJ 2022 From Tropes to Transformation in Online Adult Learning Virtual 2021 (Re)Imagining Gender Together: Leading “Our Opponent” Geneva/Virtual 2021 Whole-Brained, Life-Spanning, Multi-Modal Learning Virtual 2021 Misinformation disinformation and the rise of alternative facts: Using MI to strengthen relationships at work Geneva/Virtual 2021 Weaving leaders: Myths, gendering, and the leadership circumplex Virtual 2020 Interpersonal contact styles in leadership and followership: An experiential introduction Virtual 2020 Courageous Use of Self: Leaders Getting Personal (and “Weird”) at Work Works Ottawa, Canada 2019 Pride or Prejudice? Courageous Inquiry for Organizational and Community Engagement Ottawa, Canada 2019 June growth series: Using psychology to improve Fortune 500 companies, Chicago, IL 2019 Changing perceptions: The rise of behavioral economics Orlando, FL 2019 Creating Possibilities with Virtual OD Alexandria, VA 2018 OD and Behavioral Economics: Emerging Possibilities for Mastering the Lizard Alexandria, VA 2018 Authenticity at a Distance: Leading Authentically in Virtual Work-settings West Palm Beach, FL 2018 Experiencing Ethical Leadership: An Inside Job West Palm Beach, FL 2018 Cultivating a Mentoring Mindset for Progressive Leadership Development West Palm Beach, FL 2018 Synergies Among Online, Adult, and Workplace Learning (Co-author) Cleveland, OH 2018 Caring at a Distance: Cultivating a Mentoring Mindset for Healthcare Educators Chicago, IL 2018 All Mentoring, All the Time: Cultivating a Mentoring Mindset Rosemont, IL 2018 Redefining the Adult Learner (Co-author) San Diego, CA 2017 The Business of Behavioral Economics Workshop: An Introduction to The Human Intention/Action Gap & The Interventions That Drive Behavior Change Chicago, IL 2017 Mastering the Lizard: Ethical Behavioral Economics for Leading with Awareness in Turbulent Times Brussels, Belgium 2017 The Business of Behavioral Economics Workshop: An Introduction to The Human Intention/Action Gap & The Interventions That Drive Behavior Change Boca Raton, FL 2016 Happy/Prosperous/Productive/Good: The Care and Feeding of Your Scholar-Practitioner Legacy Rosemont, IL 2016 The Evolution of a Scholar-Practitioner with Julie Benesh Webinar 2016 Behavioral Economics at Work Chicago, IL 2015 Behavioral economics and the organization: Decision making in organizations Rosemont, IL 2015 Investigating choice-supportive bias and risk tolerance in the financial decisions of high net worth/high net income individuals: A quantitative study in behavioral finance (Co-author) Philadelphia, PA 2015 Areas of Expertise
Area Expertise Business/IO Psychology Consulting Skills Organizational Behavior Organizational Psychology Survey Development Psychology Subdisciplines - Business/IO Psychology Subdisciplines - Cognitive Psychology Publications
Chapter Guthery-Morse, A., Jeffrey, N., Crann, S., Schwab, E. (2019). Using Transnational Feminist Theory to Expand Domestic Violence Understandings. In Lynn H. Collins, PhD, Sayaka Machizawa, PsyD, and Joy K. Rice, PhD (Ed.) Transnational Psychology of Women: Expanding International and Intersectional Approaches (pp. Chapter 7). : APA Books.
Lynn H. Collins, Ph.D. (La Salle University), Jennifer Mootz, Ph.D. (Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and New York State Psychiatric Institute); Jeanne Marecek, Ph.D. (Swarthmore College); Alisha Guthery, M.A., L.M.H.C.A., M.H.P. (Antioch University); Sayaka Machizawa, Psy. D. (Bracket Global, Wayne, PA); Oliva Espín, Ph.D. (Professor Emerita, San Diego State University); Andrea Dottolo, Ph.D. (Rhode Island College); Julietta Hua, Ph.D. (San Francisco State University); Sara Crann, Ph.D. (University of Guelph, Guelph); Nicole Jeffrey, M.A. (University of Guelph, Guelph), and Elizabeth Schwab, Psy.D. (Chicago School of Professional Psychology). (2019). Transnational Psychology in the Classroom: A Pluralistic Approach. In Lynn H. Collins, PhD, Sayaka Machizawa, PsyD, and Joy K. Rice, PhD (Ed.) Transnational Psychology of Women: Expanding International and Intersectional Approaches (pp. Chapter 10). : APA Books.
Journal Eichler, KS. and Schwab, E (2026). A Case Study of Sustainability in Luxury Fashion: Exploring “Green” Brand-Sided Communication in Chloé and Coachtopia. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 21 (1),
Eichler, KS. and Schwab, E (2025). Do Investors Follow Their Values? Impact Investment Behavior and Sustainable Development Goals. Journal of Accounting and Finance, 25 (3),
Eichler, K. S., & Schwab, E. (2025). Differences in Investment Behavior – A Quantitative Study on the Effects of Robo-Advisors and Human Financial Advisors. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 27 (2),
Eichler, KS. and Schwab, E (2024). Evaluating robo-advisors through behavioral finance: A critical review of technology potential, rationality, and investor expectations. Frontiers in Behavioral Economics, 3 (2024),
Website Benesh, J., Hay, G., & Schwab, E.. (2016). Welcome to our garden. Retrieved from http://www.fielding.edu/news/welcome-to-our-garden/
Schwab, E., & Caccitolo, J.. (2014). "Nudging" in government: The role of psychologists in Obama's behavioral insights team.Nudging in Government: The Role Of Psychologists. Retrieved from http://psychology.thechicagoschool.edu/resource/industrial-organizational/nudging-in- government?cmgfrm=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252Furl
Media Exposure
Appearance Morning Rush (Newsy TV), July 2022
Professional Skills
behavioral economics, behavioral finance
