Andrew M. Parker

Photo of Andrew Parker
Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist; Faculty, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Pittsburgh Office

Education

Ph.D. in behavioral decision theory, Carnegie Mellon University; M.S. in statistics, Carnegie Mellon University; B.A. in psychology and statistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Andrew M. Parker is a senior behavioral and social scientist at the RAND Corporation, a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty, and former (and founding) codirector of the Center for Decision Making Under Uncertainty. His research applies core concepts in behavioral decision research to the understanding of decisions in complex, real-world situations. He has led or contributed to RAND projects on decision quality, risk perception, and individual differences, involving such content domains as health and financial behavior, aging, emergency preparedness and community resilience, climate change, and psychological health. Past projects have addressed low-income consumption decisions, adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior, retirement planning, drug and alcohol use, expectations for major life events, and public responses to risk information. Parker was principal investigator on a National Science Foundation-funded project validating an adult measure of decisionmaking competence, which has been used to predict major life outcomes. He currently coleads a National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases–funded project examining how influenza risk perceptions propogate across social networks and influence vaccination decisions. He received a Ph.D. and M.S. in behavioral decision theory and an M.S. in statistics from Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.A. in psychology and statistics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

  • Modeling the Coupled Dynamics of Influenza Transmission and Vaccination Behavior
  • Assessing Consumer Experiences with Health Care
  • Behavioral Consequences of Excessive Confidence
  • RAPID: Evolution of Public Risk Perception and Mental Models Regarding COVID-19

Selected Publications

Schlesinger, M., Grob, R., Shaller, D., Martino, S.C., Parker, A.M., Finucane, M.L., Cerully, J.L., & Rybowski, L., "Taking patients’ narratives about clinicians from anecdote to science," New England Journal of Medicine, 373(7), 2015

Hudomiet, P., Parker, A.M., & Rohwedder, S., "Cognitive ability, personality, and pathways to retirement: An exploratory study," Work, Aging, and Retirement, 4, 2018

Parker, A.M., Bruine de Bruin, W., Fischhoff, B., & Weller, J.A., "Robustness of Decision-Making Competence: Evidence from two measures and an 11-year longitudinal study," Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 31, 2018

Bruine de Bruin, W., Parker, A.M., Galesic, M., & Vardavas, R., "Reports of social circles’ and own vaccination behavior: A national longitudinal survey," Health Psychology, 39(11), 2019

Parker, A.M., Finucane, M.L., Ayer, L., Ramchand, R., Parks, V.A., & Clancy, N., "Persistent risk-related worry as a function of recalled exposure to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and prior trauma," Risk Analysis, 40(3), 2020

Bruine de Bruin, W., Parker, A.M., & Fischhoff, B., "Decision-making competence: More than intelligence?" Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2020 (forthcoming)

Parker, A.M., Edelman, A.F., Carman, K.G., & Finucane, M.L., "On the need for prospective disaster survey panels," Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2020 (forthcoming)

Walsh, M.M., Parker, A.M., Vardavas, R., Nowak, S.A., Kennedy, D.P., & Gidengil, C.A., "The stability of influenza vaccination behavior over time: A longitudinal analysis of individuals across eight years," Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 54(10), 2020

Commentary

  • Laboratory with map of United States showing disease outbreaks, photo by janiecbros/Getty Images

    Rebuild Public Health for the Next Pandemic?

    COVID-19 exposed how underprepared the United States was for a pandemic and raised questions about preparedness for the next one. With political will to spend money on public health, how can America take a holistic view of all the options? And how should investments be prioritized?

    Aug 6, 2021 The RAND Blog

  • Large group of people making a virus shape, photo by NiseriN/Getty Images

    An Early Look at the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Demographic Trends

    Key demographic trends in fertility, mortality, and migration are responsible for shifts in the overall structure of any population. COVID-19 has affected each of these, with potentially important implications.

    Apr 12, 2021 The RAND Blog

  • A TV reporter wearing a mask, photo by brightstars/Getty Images

    Don't Make the Pandemic Worse with Poor Data Analysis

    The need for immediate answers in the face of severe public health and economic distress may create a temptation to relax statistical standards. But urgency should not preclude expert analysis and honest assessments of uncertainty. Mistaken assumptions could lead to counterproductive actions.

    May 6, 2020 The RAND Blog

  • A mask-wearing man walks past an apartment building where a child was taken to the hospital to be tested for Ebola, New York City, October 27, 2014

    How the Public Perceives Ebola Risk in the United States

    The Ebola outbreak in Africa and the cases in the United States weighed heavily on the minds of policymakers and the public. While the Ebola threat was (and is) certainly real, many Americans greatly overestimated their chances of contracting the deadly disease.

    Mar 30, 2015 The RAND Blog

  • A child receives polio vaccination during an anti-polio campaign on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Afghanistan

    An Outbreak of Outbreaks

    Lately, stories about outbreaks seem to be spreading faster than the diseases themselves. An outbreak of measles in Ohio is just part of an 18-year high of U.S. cases. Meanwhile, polio continues to circulate in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, while spreading to other countries, like Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Syria.

    Jun 11, 2014 The Health Care Blog

Publications