Post-1980 economists selectively adopt psychological doctrines that reinforce neoclassical orthodoxy.

Evidence

The dividing line between the postwar generation of neoclassical economists and the post-1980 cohort is that the former believed they could abjure all dependence on academic psychology, whereas the latter believed they could pick and choose among psychological doctrines to elevate those that seemingly reinforced the neoclassical orthodoxy. — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 2207

Categorization

• XREF: Ties directly to Mirowski’s core thesis across the book: the neoliberal thought collective absorbs and domesticates external critiques. Also relevant to his earlier analysis of how ‘as-if’ behavioral economics was co-opted. — connects to: Behavioral economics gets coopted to excuse rather than reform orthodox theory — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 745; Post-crisis behavioral economics reduced Keynes to irrationality that disrupts general equilibrium. — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 729

Broader Connections

• Behavioral economics gets coopted to excuse rather than reform orthodox theory #expands (0.88) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 745
• Post-crisis behavioral economics reduced Keynes to irrationality that disrupts general equilibrium. #expands (0.85) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 729