The Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences Colloquium Series presents

“An Experimental Study of Network Formation with Limited Observation”
with Michael McBride, Department of Economics, UC Irvine

Thursday, February 20
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Social Science Plaza A, Room 2112

Many social and economic networks emerge among actors that only partially observe the network when forming network ties. McBride asks: what types of network architectures form when actors have limited observation, and does limited observation lead to less efficient structures? He reports numerous results from a laboratory experiment that varies both network observation and the cost of forming links. Overall, he finds that limited network observation does not inevitably lead to highly inefficient networks but instead might actually inhibit inefficient positional jockeying among actors.

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