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When Do Norms Emerge by Human Design and When by the Unintended Consequences of Human Action?

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  • Karl-Dieter Opp

    (Universität Leipzig, Institut für Soziologie, Burgstr. 21, 04109 Leipzig, Germany opp@sozio.uni-leipzig.de)

Abstract

Although it is well known that social norms may emerge by human design or as an unintended outcome of uncoordinated human action, little work has been done addressing the conditions under which each of these processes occurs. This article suggests propositions focusing on this question, applies them in explaining the emergence of a no-smoking norm and tests some of them with a factorial survey. The data show that there is the expected strong negative effect of externality through smoking on the acceptance of a no-smoking norm and on sanctioning behavior. Involvement in social networks of non-smokers does not have any effect on sanctioning behavior and only a minor effect on the acceptance of a no-smoking norm. These results are not in line with the strong emphasis on the importance of social networks for the emergence of norms in the literature. Explanations of these findings are suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Karl-Dieter Opp, 2002. "When Do Norms Emerge by Human Design and When by the Unintended Consequences of Human Action?," Rationality and Society, , vol. 14(2), pages 131-158, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:14:y:2002:i:2:p:131-158
    DOI: 10.1177/1043463102014002001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Crawford, Sue E. S. & Ostrom, Elinor, 1995. "A Grammar of Institutions," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 89(3), pages 582-600, September.
    2. Axelrod, Robert, 1986. "An Evolutionary Approach to Norms," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 80(4), pages 1095-1111, December.
    3. Douglas D. Heckathorn, 1989. "Collective Action and the Second-Order Free-Rider Problem," Rationality and Society, , vol. 1(1), pages 78-100, July.
    4. Eggertsson,Thrainn, 1990. "Economic Behavior and Institutions," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521348911, November.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Xile Yin & Siyu Chen & Dahui Li & Feng Zhang, 2021. "Social norms for fairness and board voting behavior: An experimental investigation," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 110-133, March.
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    4. Chien Liu, 2020. "A theory of norm collapse," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(2), pages 119-143, May.
    5. Karl-Dieter Opp, 2001. "How do norms emerge? An outline of a theory," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 2(1), pages 101-128, March.
    6. Chien Liu, 2021. "A theory of sexual revolution: explaining the collapse of the norm of premarital abstinence," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 20(1), pages 41-58, June.
    7. José M Galán & Maciej M Łatek & Seyed M Mussavi Rizi, 2011. "Axelrod's Metanorm Games on Networks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(5), pages 1-11, May.
    8. Christian Scheve & Daniel Moldt & Julia Fix & Rolf Luede, 2006. "My agents love to conform: Norms and emotion in the micro-macro link," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 81-100, October.
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    11. Francesca Bortolami & Luigi Mittone, 2009. "Does Participating in a Collective Decision Affect the Levels of Contributions Provided? An Experimental Investigation," CEEL Working Papers 0902, Cognitive and Experimental Economics Laboratory, Department of Economics, University of Trento, Italia.

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