David Gal
Education
Ph.D., business administration, Stanford University
Summary of Experience
Professor Gal's research focuses on the psychology of consumer decision making as well as how individuals communicate their beliefs and preferences, particularly through the design and use of consumer surveys. His research has identified a phenomenon termed "response substitution," whereby individuals' responses to surveys often attempt to convey information not asked about in the survey, but that the respondents believe is important to transmit. Professor Gal's research has been published in leading marketing and psychology journals, including Judgment and Decision Making, Psychological Science, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, and Journal of Marketing, and has frequently been featured in the popular press, including in The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times. He serves on the editorial boards of The Journal of Marketing Research and The Journal of Consumer Psychology, and for several years has been ranked among the most productive authors in the premier marketing journals. Prior to completing his Ph.D., Professor Gal analyzed survey data in a litigation support role, and worked as a financial analyst for Capital One. Before joining the University of Illinois at Chicago, he served for seven years on the faculty of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.