Tipping Points for Norm Change in Human Cultures

TL;DR

This paper presents an evolutionary game-theoretic model to understand how social norms develop, change, and reach tipping points in human cultures, highlighting the role of conformity tendencies in norm dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model linking conformity tendencies to the speed and conditions of norm change, identifying critical tipping points in cultural evolution.

Findings

Identifies conditions for rapid norm change at tipping points

Shows how conformity influences the speed of norm evolution

Provides a framework for predicting cultural norm shifts

Abstract

Humans interact with each other on a daily basis by developing and maintaining various social norms and it is critical to form a deeper understanding of how such norms develop, how they change, and how fast they change. In this work, we develop an evolutionary game-theoretic model based on research in cultural psychology that shows that humans in various cultures differ in their tendencies to conform with those around them. Using this model, we analyze the evolutionary relationships between the tendency to conform and how quickly a population reacts when conditions make a change in norm desirable. Our analysis identifies conditions when a tipping point is reached in a population, causing norms to change rapidly.