Jean Ensminger: Experimenting with Social Norms

This event was digitally recorded and is available for viewing on the Caltech Theater site.

Social norms instruct much of human social interaction in all societies and they often flavor profound differences across cultures. But where do such norms come from, and more interestingly, how and why do they change over time and what impact do they have on economic performance? Ensminger will discuss these topics in light of case study material from several decades of research with a nomadic cattle herding population in East Africa. She will also present experimental economic research from a collaborative project with over a dozen fellow anthropologists working in hunting and gathering, horticultural, herding, and industrial societies. Data from controlled experiments around the world help us flesh out the processes involved in the co-evolution of market institutions with social norms that govern cooperation, fairness, and trust.

Jean Ensminger is professor of anthropology and chair of the division of the humanities and social sciences at Caltech.

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