Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0



Author-Name: Ivar Kolstad 

Title: The evolution of social norms

Abstract: Evolutionary game theory provides the tools to analyze

which strategies, or patterns of behaviour, emerge over

time through a process of adaptation. Social norms can

be defined as patterns of behaviour with certain

characteristics. Evolutionary game theory thus provides

one perspective on how social norms are formed and

maintained. Prisoner's dilemma games can be used to

study the conditions under which cooperative norms

emerge. Bargaining games can be used to address the

formation of fairness norms. However, being more

congenial to analyzing norms that somehow focus on

material payoffs, it is not a given that evolutionary

game theory can adequately address norms focusing on

rights or virtues.



Length: 13 pages

Creation-Date: 2003 

File-URL: https://www.cmi.no/publications/file/1552-the-evolution-of-social-norms.pdf



File-Format: Application/pdf

Number: WP 2003:1

Keywords: Evolutionary game theory

Social norms

Classification-JEL: C73



Handle: RePEc:chm:wpaper:wp2003-1