Department of Sociology/ICS, Utrecht University, Netherlands.
Department of Sociology/ICS, Utrecht University, Netherlands.
Soc Sci Res. 2020 Feb;86:102393. doi: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.102393. Epub 2019 Nov 26.
We develop a game theoretic model of conflict and empirically test its predictions to study the emergence of social hierarchies in small groups. Previous research shows uncertainty about actors' ability may lead to more conflict; conflict demonstrates actors' ability and establishes relationships of dominance and submissiveness. Since we assume uncertainty regarding ability to be a crucial cause of conflict, we focus on the effects of different information conditions. We posit that actors know the distribution of abilities in their group and vary whether or not they know (1) their own ability and (2) their interaction partners' interaction histories. Our results from a laboratory experiment closely match qualitative model predictions. Most importantly, conflict produces information about actors' ability, which reduces subsequent conflict. In an exploratory analysis we investigate to what extent gender, social value orientation, risk preferences and a competitive personality account for the quantitative discrepancies between model predictions and subject behavior.
我们构建了一个冲突的博弈论模型，并通过实证检验来研究小群体中社会等级制度的出现。先前的研究表明，对参与者能力的不确定性可能会导致更多的冲突；而冲突则展示了参与者的能力，并建立了支配和服从的关系。由于我们假设能力的不确定性是冲突的一个关键原因，因此我们专注于不同信息条件的影响。我们假设参与者了解他们所在群体中能力的分布情况，并且他们是否知道（1）自己的能力和（2）他们的互动伙伴的互动历史。我们的实验室实验结果与定性模型预测非常吻合。最重要的是，冲突产生了关于参与者能力的信息，这减少了后续的冲突。在一项探索性分析中，我们研究了性别、社会价值取向、风险偏好和竞争人格在多大程度上可以解释模型预测和主体行为之间的数量差异。
