Your words — are they credible? Or are they what Paul Oyer calls “cheap talk?”

According to professor of economics Paul Oyer, how our words align with our actions isn’t just a matter of communication, but a matter of economics too. Economic concepts hold in all areas of life, which Oyer’s research has explored in everything from Uber driving to online dating.

“Economics is everywhere,” Oyer says. “It's an incredibly powerful lens to analyze almost anything in the real world.”



Think Fast, Talk Smart is a production of Stanford Graduate School of Business. Join Matt Abrahams, lecturer in strategic communication, as he sits down with experts from across campus to discuss public speaking anxiety, speaking off the cuff, nailing a Q&A, and more. Find us on LinkedIn for more communication tips and techniques by searching "Think Fast, Talk Smart."