The emergence of inequality in social groups: Network structure and institutions affect the distribution of earnings in cooperation games.

ABSTRACT: From small communities to entire nations and society at large, inequality in wealth, social status, and power is one of the most pervasive and tenacious features of the social world. What causes inequality to emerge and persist? In this study, we investigate how the structure and rules of our interactions can increase inequality in social groups. Specifically, we look into the effects of four structural conditions-network structure, network fluidity, reputation tracking, and punishment institutions-on the distribution of earnings in network cooperation games. We analyze 33 experiments comprising 96 experimental conditions altogether. We find that there is more inequality in clustered networks compared to random networks, in fixed networks compared to randomly rewired and strategically upda

SUBMITTER: Tsvetkova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6054378 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature