Rate My Professor Victoria Baranov

Baranov's academic interests span development economics, behavioural economics, health economics, psychology and economics, and applied microeconomics. Her research examines the interplay between health—especially psychological factors—and social norms with poverty and economic development. She investigates the role of psychological health in perpetuating poverty traps and the economic and psychological impacts of gender norms, including masculinity norms shaped by historical sex ratios. Baranov has published in top-tier journals such as the American Economic Review, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, and Journal of Health Economics. Key publications include 'Trajectories of Early Childhood Skill Development and Maternal Mental Health' (Journal of Human Resources, 2024), 'Theoretical Underpinnings and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Cash Transfers on Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries' (Journal of Development Studies, 2021, cited over 130 times), 'The Impact of COVID-related Economic Shocks on Household Mental Health in Pakistan' (Health Economics, 2022), 'Male-biased Sex Ratios and Masculinity Norms: Evidence from Australia's Colonial Past' (2023), 'Masculinity Norms and Their Economic Implications' (CEPR Discussion Paper, 2025), and 'Can Positive Psychology Improve Psychological Well-Being and Economic Decision-Making? Experimental Evidence from Kenya and Uganda' (Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2020). Her contributions extend to VoxEU columns on masculinity norms and their economic consequences.

At the University of Melbourne, Baranov co-founded and directs the FBE Gender Lab. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Health Economics. Professional affiliations include affiliate of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), research affiliate of the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), research fellow at IZA and the Life Course Centre, and affiliate of the Centre for Market Design.