Norms and Development:Interdisciplinary Approach

Week 1Introduction of the seminar

&

What are social norms?

2

Two levels are mutually influencing each other.

Why Do We Study Norms in the LIFE seminar?

Groups/Society/Culture

It’s macro-level (social) phenomena.

Individual

Behaviors/

Psychology

It’s micro-level (psychological) phenomena.

3

Cognitive PsychologyDevelopmental Psychology Social PsychologyNeuroscienceSociology / EconomicsMoral PhilosophyPolitical ScienceEvolutionary AnthropologyEvolutionary Biology

Readings & Topics Include…

4

??

But, Too Complex…

Norm 1

Norm 6

Norm 3

Norm 5

Norm 4

Norm 2

5

“I read both the readings and just found that norms are so complex phenomena…”

“I myself don’t study norms and am not so much interested in the details of the reality…”

One goals of the seminar is to demonstrate how to tackle such a complex topic.

But, Too Complex… (cont’d)

6

Two Different Research Strategies

1. Starting from a simple model. Sticking to a single meta-theory. Gradually coming back to the reality.

Part 1 (Masanori) & 2 (Gerd)

2. Focusing on a particular norm and investigate the details.

Part 3 (Monika)

7

Part 1 (Week 2-4):General Theoretical Framework

Analyzing simple models capturing the core features of (social) norms.

Explaining why social norms exists from the perspective of social rationality.

Considering the psychological mechanisms underlying social norms.

8

Part 2 (Week 5-7):More on Social Rationality

Pursuing the perspective of social rationality in more details

Focusing on cognitive processes of the individuals

Groups/Society/Culture

Individual

Behaviors/

Psychology

9

Part 3 (Week 8-10):Socio-Moral Norms

Investigating the socio-moral norms in developmental and cross-cultural context.

Interconnecting social rationality and developmental approach.

10

Part 4 (Week 11-13):Norms in Social Interactions

How social norms influence in the dynamic social interactions?

Again, we illustrate the power of simple models for understanding complex social dynamics.

Groups/Society/Culture

Individual

Behaviors/

Psychology

11

Is the Seminar Too Complicated…?

12

Information on the Seminar

Each seminar consists of;1) Talk by a lecturer2) A fellow's report of an optional paper3) Discussion based on the list of questions

Dec. 16 At the meeting room of the ABC (Rm. 312)

All the materials are downloadable from

http://www-abc.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/users/take/

Are you ready?

14

How Can We Tackle Complex Phenomena?

??Norm 1

Norm 6

Norm 3

Norm 5

Norm 4

Norm 2

15

Model X

Model Y

How Can We Tackle Complex Phenomena?

Norm 1

Norm 6

Norm 3

Norm 5

Norm 4

Norm 2

16

Features of Social Norms

1. Social norms are the rules existing inside of individuals.

2. They are the socially shared rules and need to be approved from the others.

3. Violation of norms induce punitive sentiment and punishment behaviors from the others.

17

Features of Social Norms (cont’d)

4. Social norms are often internalized = following a norm even when no one is observing the behavior.

5. Often conflicting with self-interest.

6. Sometimes harming the welfare of a whole society.

18

A Model of Social NormsStep. 1 Each individual can select either “norm-compliance” or “norm-violation.”

A person who selected compliance has to pay some cost but it provides further benefit to all the other individuals.

It is individually rational to violate the norm and just enjoy the benefit provided by norm- followers.

19

A Model of Social Norms

Step. 1’

Each individual can select either “norm-compliance” or “norm-violation.”

A person who selected compliance has to pay some cost but it incurs further cost to all the other individuals.

The norm is socially inefficient. Furthermore,

It is individually rational to violate the norm.

20

A Model of Social Norms (cont’d)

Step 2.

Each individual can punish norm-violators at one’s own cost.

If norm-violators are punished, it is no longer rational to violate a norm.

However, it is individually rational not to punish violators. Thus, a norm cannot be sustained in a society consisting of rational individuals.

21

A Model of Social Norms (cont’d)

Internalization of Norms= complying with norms even when no one is observing the behavior and there is no risk of punishment

Emotion= shame/guilt are psychological mechanisms underlying internalization of norms = sources of “grip to mind”. Anger also drives people to punitive behaviors.

22

A Model of Social Norms (cont’d)

Step 1 is identical with so-called social dilemma, public goods dilemma, or 1st order free rider problem (cf. distinguish it from the step 1’)

Step 2 has also the same feature as the step 1. This is called 2nd order free rider problem.

23

What’s This?

This is an abstract model. No social norm in the real world is so simple.

It captures, however, core features of social norms (i.e., rules, social approval, punitive sentiment, irrationality).

Compare it with wind-tunnel models in engineering.

Model X

Model Y

Norm 1

Norm 4

Norm 3

Norm 5

Norm 6

Norm 2

25

When Is It Justified To Use Such Simple Models?

Simple models are theoretical tools to understand the logics underlying the phenomena in the real world.

It is justified only when it is useful for solving theoretical questions set by the researchers.

Ex. Unrealistically simple neural network models are used for asking if hierarchical structures (e.g., syntax) can come from nothing (see Marcus, 2003; The Algebraic Mind, MIT Press).

26

What Do We Investigate with This Model?

Explaining why social norms exist

Q. But, isn’t is sufficient to say that people sometimes pursue self-interest and the rest of the time follow social norms? And, it is just why we need the concept of social norms (see p. 133 of Elster).

(cont’d) For instance, when experimental economists realized that human beings do not maximize self-interest, they changed their theory assuming that some people take care of the other’s welfare but the others don’t.

How about shame and guilt? How about internalization of social norms? We human have capacities to acquire social norms. Don’t they explain why social norms exist?

A. You’re just describing the phenomena. Will it help us go forward over the disorder we found in the readings? Can this approach explain emergence, change and extinction of social norms?

29

Is Functionalist Explanation An Alternative?

“Norm of feud is collectively beneficial because it helped to keep the Montenegrin tribes divided among themselves so that they never posed enough of a threat to be more than a nuisance to the Turkish empire. Feuding kept the segmentary system from unifying to a degree that might invite extinction at the hands of the Turks’” (pp. 144-145 in Elster, 1989).

Confusion of causes and effects

30

So, How Do You Explain It?

Explaining social norms (=norm-compliance & punishment of norm-violators) with the principle of social rationality.

Wait for the next seminar and see what this approach reveals us… We’ll start from removing the prejudice against evolutionary perspective. Don’t confuse it with Evolutionary Psychology…