The Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences Colloquium Series presents

“Coordination and Culture”
with Jean-Paul Carvalho, Department of Economics

Thursday, December 5
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Social Science Plaza A, Room 2112
 
Culture constrains individual choice, rendering certain actions impermissible or taboo. When individuals from different cultural groups interact, we find that social coordination can permanently break down despite strong incentives to coordinate behavior.  In fact, miscoordination between groups is the most likely outcome for an open set of parameters.   In an application to identity-based conflict, exclusive ethnic and religious identities are shown to persist in poorer and more unequal societies.  Factors that may favor social coordination are also explored, including assimilation, deviance and cultural choice.

For further information, please contact Joanna Kerner, kernerj@uci.edu or 949-824-8651.