Penn Social Norms Group (PennSoNG)
 

Document Type

Journal Article

Date

7-31-2014

Publication Source

Synthese

Volume

191

Issue

18

Start Page

4409

Last Page

4429

DOI

10.1007/s11229-014-0534-y

Abstract

In this work, we present a mathematical model for the emergence of descriptive norms, where the individual decision problem is formalized with the standard Bayesian belief revision machinery. Previous work on the emergence of descriptive norms has relied on heuristic modeling. In this paper we show that with a Bayesian model we can provide a more general picture of the emergence of norms, which helps to motivate the assumptions made in heuristic models. In our model, the priors formalize the belief that a certain behavior is a regularity. The evidence is provided by other group members’ behavior and the likelihood by their reliability. We implement the model in a series of computer simulations and examine the group-level outcomes. We claim that domain-general belief revision helps explain why we look for regularities in social life in the first place. We argue that it is the disposition to look for regularities and react to them that generates descriptive norms. In our search for rules, we create them.

Copyright/Permission Statement

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11229-014-0534-y

Keywords

Descriptive norms, Norm emergence, Explanation, Social epistemology, Agent-based modeling

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Date Posted: 22 February 2017

This document has been peer reviewed.