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Lock-in through passive connections

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  • Cui, Zhiwei
  • Weidenholzer, Simon

Abstract

We consider a model of social coordination and network formation where agents decide on an action in a coordination game and on whom to establish costly links to. We study the role of passive connections; these are connections to a given agent that are supported by other agents. Such passive connections may inhibit agents from switching actions and links, as this may result in a loss of payoff received through them. When agents are constrained in the number of links they may support, this endogenously arising form of lock-in leads to mixed profiles, where different agents choose different actions, being included in the set of Nash equilibria. Depending on the precise parameters of the model, risk- dominant, payoff- dominant, or mixed profiles are stochastically stable. Thus, agents’ welfare may be lower as compared to the case where payoff is only received through active links. The network formed by agents plays a crucial role for the propagation of actions, it allows for a contagious spread of risk dominant actions and evolves as agents change their links and actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Cui, Zhiwei & Weidenholzer, Simon, 2018. "Lock-in through passive connections," Economics Discussion Papers 23348, University of Essex, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:esx:essedp:23348
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    Cited by:

    1. Lu, Feifei, 2023. "Local information hinders coordination in endogenous networks," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    2. Cui, Zhiwei, 2023. "Linking friction, social coordination and the speed of evolution," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 410-430.
    3. Markus Kinateder & Luca Paolo Merlino, 2021. "The Evolution of Networks and Local Public Good Provision: A Potential Approach," Games, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-12, July.
    4. Leonardo Boncinelli & Alessio Muscillo & Paolo Pin, 2022. "Efficiency and Stability in a Process of Teams Formation," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 1101-1129, December.
    5. Cui, Zhiwei & Jiang, Ge & Shi, Fei, 2023. "Size-dependent minimum-effort games and constrained interactions," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    6. Ziwei Wang & Jiabin Wu, 2023. "Partner Choice and Morality: Preference Evolution under Stable Matching," Papers 2304.11504, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2023.
    7. Cui, Zhiwei & Shi, Fei, 2022. "Bandwagon effects and constrained network formation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 37-51.
    8. Cui, Zhiwei & Liu, Jinhua, 2024. "Homophily in network formation and social coordination," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    9. Lu, Feifei & Shi, Fei, 2023. "Coordination with heterogeneous interaction constraints," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 645-665.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social coordination; Network formation; Learning; Lock-in;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation

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