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Learning to Be Thoughtless: Social Norms and Individual Computation

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  • Epstein, Joshua M

Abstract

This paper extends the literature on the evolution of norms with an agent-based model capturing a phenomenon that has been essentially ignored, namely that individual thought--or computing--is often inversely related to the strength of a social norm. Once a norm is entrenched, we conform thoughtlessly. In this model, agents learn how to behave (what norm to adopt), but--under a strategy I term Best Reply to Adaptive Sample Evidence--they also learn how much to think about how to behave. How much they are thinking affects how they behave, which--given how others behave--affects how much they think. In short, there is feedback between the social (inter-agent) and internal (intra-agent) dynamics. In addition, we generate the stylized facts regarding the spatio-temporal evolution of norms: local conformity, global diversity, and punctuated equilibria. Copyright 2001 by Kluwer Academic Publishers

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  • Epstein, Joshua M, 2001. "Learning to Be Thoughtless: Social Norms and Individual Computation," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 18(1), pages 9-24, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:compec:v:18:y:2001:i:1:p:9-24
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    Cited by:

    1. Leigh Tesfatsion, 2002. "Agent-Based Computational Economics," Computational Economics 0203001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Aug 2002.
    2. Efe Postalci, 2010. "Learning by observing," Working Papers 1007, Izmir University of Economics.
    3. Amy Peng & Francis McKenna, 2009. "Evolution of the Week," Working Papers 012, Toronto Metropolitan University, Department of Economics.
    4. Mary Burke & Gary Fournier, 2005. "The Emergence of Local Norms in Networks," Computing in Economics and Finance 2005 299, Society for Computational Economics.
    5. Yves Saillard, 2004. "L'analyse économique des normes : représentation et traitement des interactions dans les modèles de simulation," Post-Print halshs-00104866, HAL.
    6. Chen, Xiaodong & Lupi, Frank & An, Li & Sheely, Ryan & Viña, Andrés & Liu, Jianguo, 2012. "Agent-based modeling of the effects of social norms on enrollment in payments for ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 16-24.
    7. Истратов В.А., 2016. "Моделирование Формирования Социальных Норм В Общественных Науках," Журнал Экономика и математические методы (ЭММ), Центральный Экономико-Математический Институт (ЦЭМИ), vol. 52(4), pages 47-73, октябрь.
    8. Anderson, Kyle & Lee, SangHyun, 2016. "An empirically grounded model for simulating normative energy use feedback interventions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 272-282.
    9. Francesco C. Billari & Alexia Prskawetz & Johannes Fürnkranz, 2002. "The cultural evolution of age-at-marriage norms," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2002-018, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

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