Kai Barron is a microeconomist. His primary research fields are experimental and behavioural economics, with a particular focus on better understanding how people make sense of the world. Within this area, he studies the cognitive foundations of economic decision-making, including belief formation, narratives, and mental models. He also has a secondary research agenda examining questions related to the causes and consequences of economic disparities. His research examines questions such as how individuals make key decisions about education and skill acquisition, as well as the psychological foundations of discrimination.

His work has been published in journals suchas the Review of Economics and Statistics, Management Science, and the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics.