Co-evolution of conventions and networks: An experimental study

We study the emergence of conventions in dynamic networks experimentally. Conventions are modeled in terms of coordination games in which actors can choose both their behavior and their interaction partners. We study how macro-level outcomes of the process in terms of Pareto-efficiency and heterogeneity depend on initial conditions. Moreover, we examine the underlying processes at the microlevel. Predictions are derived from a game-theoretic model which is applied to our experimental conditions by means of computer simulation. The results provide mixed support for the macro-level hypotheses, and indicate possible directions to improve the model at the micro level.     

Crossover designs in the presence of carry-over effects from two factors

Experiments, used in the telecommunications industry and elsewhere, are considered that involve the simultaneous application of levels of two unrelated factors, treatments and stimuli, to each of several subjects in a succession of time periods. The existence is suspected of carry-over effects of treatments and stimuli, in the period immediately following the period of their application. Methods are given for the construction of separate sequences of treatments and of stimuli; these methods are based on the Latin squares of Williams and of Russell. In the resulting designs, the treatments and stimuli are either orthogonal or nearly orthogonal, and the coincidence of the direct and carry-over effects of each factor is either balanced or nearly balanced. The efficiencies of the designs are assessed by comparing the average variances of elementary contrasts in the levels of each factor with appropriate lower bounds.     

Transforming wealth: Using the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS) and splines to predict youth’s math achievement

The natural log and categorical transformations commonly applied to wealth for meeting the statistical assumptions of research may not always be appropriate for adjusting for skewness given wealth’s unique properties. Finding and applying appropriate transformations is becoming increasingly important as researchers consider wealth as a predictor of well-being. We present an alternative transformation—the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS)—for simultaneously dealing with skewness and accounting for wealth’s unique properties. Using the relationship between household wealth and youth’s math achievement as an example, we apply the IHS transformation to wealth data from US and Ghanaian households. We also explore non-linearity and accumulation thresholds by combining IHS transformed wealth with splines. IHS transformed wealth relates to youth’s math achievement similarly when compared to categorical and natural log transformations, indicating that it is a viable alternative to other transformations commonly used in research. Non-linear relationships and accumulation thresholds emerge that predict youth’s math achievement when splines are incorporated. In US households, accumulating debt relates to decreases in math achievement whereas accumulating assets relates to increases in math achievement. In Ghanaian households, accumulating assets between the 25th and 50th percentiles relates to increases in youth’s math achievement.     

A small world on feet of clay? A comparison of empirical small-world studies against best-practice criteria

Small-world studies were introduced by Milgram and others in the 1960s and 1970s. These studies, and a majority of variants conducted by others, display a number of methodological weaknesses that bias their results. While no explicit methodological standard exists for these studies, here I derive a number of best-practice criteria for small-world studies by pointing out mistakes of previous studies, and by applying methodological standards from other empirical research areas. Improving the methodology of letter referral studies is important, because such studies could still be useful in a number of contexts today, especially for the exploration of factors affecting targeted search processes.     

Gender differences in honesty: The role of social value orientation

This paper experimentally analyzes the role of individual social value orientation (SVO) on honest behavior. We focus on a situation where dishonest behavior pays off at somebody else’s cost. In which case, distributional preferences might matter for the willingness to act honestly. To examine this link we conduct a laboratory experiment where we first elicit SVO to measure distributional preferences. Afterwards, we implement a die rolling game to elicit dishonest behavior at an individual level. We detect a positive correlation between subjects’ SVO angle and honest behavior. Furthermore, the data confirm common gender differences, i.e., women are significantly more honest than men. Additionally, we find that, on average, women have higher SVO angles than men. A mediation analysis reveals that SVO explains the gender effect.     

Gender differences in the use of high-variance strategies in tournament competition

We report on a series of experiments in which participants first completed a simple game of chance and then competed in a tournament based on a multiple cue probability learning task. The results show that men made riskier choices in the simple game of chance, but women adopted the high-variance strategy more frequently in the tournament. However, after controlling for differences in forecasting skill, we find no significant differences in the rates at which men and women adopted a high-variance strategy. Although altering the difficulty of the forecasting task produces differences in the rate at which participants selected the high-variance strategy, it did not produce a significant difference in the rate at which men and women selected the strategy. Thus, this paper suggests that although women are more risk-averse than men, women are no less likely to adopt a high-variance strategy in a tournament competition.     

乡村建设运动：参与式发展理论的本土来源与贡献

参与式发展理论是一种微观的区域发展理论,与现代化理论的"宏大叙事"不同,它强调尊重差异、平等协商,在"外来者"的协助下,通过当地社区成员的积极、主动的广泛参与,实现其可持续的、成果共享的、有效益的发展。在20世纪的最后10年参与式发展理论被"引入"中国,但它并非完全是舶来品,我国20世纪二三十年代的"乡村建设运动"的实验者们创造和运用了大量的参与式发展的理论与方法,尤其是作为其两大流派的定县实验和邹平实验更是如此。这是参与式理论的中国本土来源与贡献。     

灰阑中的叙述：论西西实验小说的叙述探索

香港实验作家西西的创作富于变化,对叙述方式的探索与创新是西西实验小说的核心。西西小说实验的第一步是通过独特的叙事,形成对被挑战对象的质疑、反省、否定,建立另一种声音。西西建立另一种声音的方式主要是通过叙述结构的相互冲突和重写经典。对于每一种方法,西西又有不同的尝试和演进,这些叙述方式的实验也体现出西西对叙述的自省。     

Wired to mobilize: The effect of social networking messages on voter turnout

Recent scholarship has documented the effect of online social networking on political participation, a relationship hypothesized to be due to the generation of social capital. This paper tests the hypothesis that impersonal get-out-the-vote messages delivered via an online social network can increase voter turnout. Specifically, this study uses a field experiment of randomly assigned students from a large southern public university to test the effect of exposure to political messages via Facebook on the likelihood of them voting in the November 2010 election. The results indicate that encouragements to vote delivered through a social networking site can have substantively large effects on political behavior.     

Reducing within-group overconfidence through group identity and between-group confidence judgments

Individuals belonging to a social group make judgments about their relative standing within the group as well as about the relative standing of their group among other groups. On average, individuals exhibit overconfidence bias in both types of judgments in a variety of settings. We hypothesize, however, that the latter bias counteracts the former; therefore, the salience of between-group judgments should mitigate within-group overconfidence. Our second hypothesis is that within-group overconfidence is reduced in the presence of group identity. Using a 2 × 2 between-subject design, we test, and find strong support for, these hypotheses in a laboratory experiment.