The neuroscience of conventions and norms

Guala, Francesco (2018). The neuroscience of conventions and norms. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: Economic and Social Research Council. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-850292

Data description (abstract)

Our social life consists mostly of coordination problems, where we must converge on choices and strategies that will benefit all parties involved. When a solution becomes widely and repeatedly adopted, it becomes a "social convention" in a certain group or population. This project carries out the first investigation of the neural basis of the emergence and consolidation of conventions. In particular, it studies whether (and if so, how) conventions have the tendency to evolve into norms that individuals prefer not to breach. One hypothesis is that as conventions become repeated the "social pain" associated with breaching them increases to the point where it can outweigh possible benefits to the individual associated with breaking these social rules. This idea can be tested by measuring brain activity using the technique of functional magnetic resonance imaging while volunteers play a simple coordination game. The hypothesis predicts activities in brain regions which have previously been shown to respond to rewards and social disgust, dependent upon the extent to which conventions have become established over multiple rounds of the game.

Data creators:
Creator Name Affiliation ORCID (as URL)
Guala Francesco University of Exeter
Contributors:
Name Affiliation ORCID (as URL)
Hodgson Timothy
Sponsors: Economic and Social Research Council
Grant reference: RES-000-22-2392
Topic classification: Psychology
Keywords: social convention, norms, neuroscience
Alternative title: Society, Social Behaviour, and the Neurosciences highlight notice
Date published: 08 Sep 2009 10:17
Last modified: 16 Aug 2018 09:40

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