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Social interactions in small groups

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  • Brian Krauth

Abstract

In the well-known `critical mass' model of social interactions, aggregate behaviour exhibits multiple equilibria if the influence of group behaviour on individual behaviour exceeds some fairly high threshold. I demonstrate that this property depends on an implicit assumption that the relevant social group is large (infinite). With small (finite) social groups, the same model exhibits multiplicity whenever group behaviour exerts influence. The range of equilibrium group behaviour depends on the size of the social group as well as its strength of influence. Brief applications on youth smoking and retirement planning demonstrate the implications of these results for applied work.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Krauth, 2006. "Social interactions in small groups," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 39(2), pages 414-433, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:39:y:2006:i:2:p:414-433
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0008-4085.2006.00353.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Morey, Edward R. & Kritzberg, David, 2012. "It's not where you do it, it's who you do it with?," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 176-191.
    2. Zhou, Yiwei & Wang, Xiaokun & Holguín-Veras, José, 2016. "Discrete choice with spatial correlation: A spatial autoregressive binary probit model with endogenous weight matrix (SARBP-EWM)," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 440-455.
    3. Krauth, Brian V., 2006. "Simulation-based estimation of peer effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 243-271, July.
    4. Lux, Thomas, 2008. "Rational forecasts or social opinion dynamics? Identification of interaction effects in a business climate survey," Kiel Working Papers 1424, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Lux, Thomas, 2009. "Rational forecasts or social opinion dynamics? Identification of interaction effects in a business climate survey," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 638-655, November.
    6. Mirta B. Gordon & Jean-Pierre Nadal & Denis Phan & Viktoriya Semeshenko, 2012. "Entanglement between Demand and Supply in Markets with Bandwagon Goods," Papers 1209.1321, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2012.
    7. Soetevent, Adriaan R., 2003. "Equilibrium properties of finite binary choice games," CCSO Working Papers 200314, University of Groningen, CCSO Centre for Economic Research.
    8. Frank van Erp & Niels Vermeer & Daniel van Vuuren, 2013. "Non-financial determinants of retirement," CPB Discussion Paper 243.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    9. Viktoriya Semeshenko & Alexis Garapin & Bernard Ruffieux & Mirta Gordon, 2010. "Information-driven coordination: experimental results with heterogeneous individuals," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 69(1), pages 119-142, July.
    10. Frank Erp & Niels Vermeer & Daniel Vuuren, 2014. "Non-financial Determinants of Retirement: A Literature Review," De Economist, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 167-191, June.
    11. Denis Phan, 2006. "Discrete Choices under Social Influence:Generic Properties," Post-Print halshs-00105857, HAL.
    12. Frank van Erp & Niels Vermeer & Daniel van Vuuren, 2013. "Non-financial determinants of retirement," CPB Discussion Paper 243, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    13. Peter Kooreman & Adriaan R. Soetevent, 2007. "A discrete-choice model with social interactions: with an application to high school teen behavior," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(3), pages 599-624.
    14. Grajzl, Peter & Baniak, Andrzej, 2012. "Mandating behavioral conformity in social groups with conformist members," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 479-493.
    15. Buchholtz, Sonia & Gaska, Jan & Góra, Marek, 2018. "Pension Strategies of Workers in a Country Getting Old before Getting Rich," IZA Discussion Papers 11830, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Chandra Bhat, 2015. "A new spatial (social) interaction discrete choice model accommodating for unobserved effects due to endogenous network formation," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(5), pages 879-914, September.
    17. Katarzyna Ostasiewicz & Michal H. Tyc & Piotr Goliczewski & Piotr Magnuszewski & Andrzej Radosz & Jan Sendzimir, 2006. "Integrating economic and psychological insights in binary choice models with social interactions," Papers physics/0609170, arXiv.org.
    18. Crudu, Federico & Neri, Laura & Tiezzi, Silvia, 2021. "Family ties and child obesity in Italy," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D00 - Microeconomics - - General - - - General

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