Skewed norms under peer pressure: Formation and collapse

Arbeitspapier

This paper shows that peer pressure may lead to dynamic convergence to a norm that is skewed with respect to preferences in society, yet is endogenously upheld by the population. Moreover, a skewed norm will often be more sustainable than a representative norm. This may explain the skewness of various social and religious norms. By furthermore interpreting a norm as a political regime, we show that biased regimes can be sustained even without the existence of a powerful group with coherent interests. We analyze the pattern by which political regimes collapse and relate it to contemporary revolutions and mass protests.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Memorandum ; No. 15/2014

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions ; Cultural Economics; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology: General ; Cultural Economics: Religion
• Subject: Peer pressure ; Social norm ; Revolution ; Protest movement ; Alienation ; Religion

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Michaeli, Moti ; Spiro, Daniel
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Oslo, Department of Economics
• (where): Oslo
• (when): 2014

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/102053
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET