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A Theory of Indifference Based on Status-Seeking Behaviour

Author

Listed:
  • Sugata Marjit
  • Krishnendu Ghosh Dastidar
  • Abhilasha Pandey

Abstract

This paper explores the reluctance of men (women) to acknowledge or recognise the work, comments, and claims of new ideas by other men (women) via widespread and intense demonstrations of indifference. Instances like desk rejections by journals by not allowing papers to reach a review stage, deliberately ignoring responses to respectful and cordial emails, or not referring to relevant papers in references may be related to a kind of status-seeking behaviour beyond what is projected as the real reason for such actions. Against this backdrop, this paper draws from the contemporary experimental psychology and economic theory literature on the causes and consequences of status-seeking behaviour. It integrates the idea in a simple two-player non-cooperative game theoretic framework to explain why even in a world where “Recognition” is a socially optimal strategy, “Indifference” will persist at an equilibrium. We also look at the formation of self-pampering clusters in social media as a resistance to indifference.

Suggested Citation

  • Sugata Marjit & Krishnendu Ghosh Dastidar & Abhilasha Pandey, 2023. "A Theory of Indifference Based on Status-Seeking Behaviour," CESifo Working Paper Series 10409, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_10409
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chakravarty, Surajeet & Fonseca, Miguel A. & Ghosh, Sudeep & Marjit, Sugata, 2016. "Religious fragmentation, social identity and cooperation: Evidence from an artefactual field experiment in India," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 265-279.
    2. Easterlin, Richard A., 2009. "Lost in transition: Life satisfaction on the road to capitalism," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 130-145, August.
    3. Van Long, Ngo & Shimomura, Koji, 2004. "Relative wealth, status-seeking, and catching-up," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 529-542, April.
    4. Hamid Beladi & Sugata Marjit & Reza Oladi & Lei Yang, 2021. "Malnutrition in the shadow of economic growth," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 500-514, February.
    5. Jayanta Kumar Dwibedi & Sugata Marjit, 2017. "Relative Affluence and Child Labor—Explaining a Paradox," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 1178-1190, November.
    6. Sugata Marjit & Sattwik Santra & Koushik Kumar Hati, 2015. "Relative Social Status and Conflicting Measures of Poverty - A Behavioral Analytical Model," Discussion Papers Series 543, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    7. Redzo Mujcic & Paul Frijters, 2013. "Economic choices and status: measuring preferences for income rank," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 65(1), pages 47-73, January.
    8. Surajeet Chakravarty & Miguel A Fonseca & Sudeep Ghosh & Sugata Marjit, 2016. "Religious Fragmentation, Social Identity and Conflict: Evidence from an Artefactual Field Experiment in India," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, October.
    9. Chakravarty, Surajeet & Fonseca, Miguel A. & Ghosh, Sudeep & Kumar, Pradeep & Marjit, Sugata, 2019. "Religious fragmentation, social identity and other-regarding preferences: Evidence from an artefactual field experiment in India," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    experimental psychology; status-seeking behaviour; indifference; recognition; non-cooperative games; repeated games;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games

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