A workshop on "Neuroeconomics and Endocrinological Economics," being held Nov. 20 and 21 at UC Davis, will be the first to bring together experts in neuroscience, economics and hormone physiology in one event, according to organizers.

Neuroeconomics has emerged as a new field in recent years, as both economists and neuroscientists have used brain scanning technology such as functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how people make decisions.

"Economists and neuroscientists have been coming at similar problems but from different directions," said workshop organizer Burkhard Schipper, assistant professor of economics at UC Davis.

By having volunteers play simple games involving risk and reward while in a brain scanner, researchers have been able to see which areas of the brain are activated as people make economic decisions…