The Double Edge of Networks: An Analysis of the Effect of Informal Networks on Cooperation in Social Dilemmas (ICS Dissertation Series) - Softcover

Andreas Flache

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9051704003 ISBN 13: 9789051704006

Publisher: Thela Thesis Publishers, 1998

About this title

About the Author

Andreas Flache (1963) took his master's degree in computer science and social science and studied at the University of Koblenz, Germany. He conducted the research for this book at the ICS in Groningen, the Netherlands. At the moment, he is studying the emergence of solidarity networks at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Bayreuth, Germany. His main research interests concern social dilemmas, formal modeling of collection behaviour and social networks.

From the Back Cover

The Double Edge of Networks explores how a network of informal social relations affects cooperation between members of a group. Cooperation is particulary important when a group faces a social dilemma, i.e. a conflict between members' common goal and their divergent individual interests. Previous research suggest that a dense web of social ties facilitates cooperation in the event of a social dilemma. This book argues that social networks may instead have a double edge. Networks help people to work together when relationhip are used as instruments for social pressure. A dense network may prevent group members from joining forces, however, when people find their personal friendships more important than the groups'g- oal. Contrary to what is widely believed, social ties may undermine social control, particularly in small groups. This possibility should be of interest to both researches studying group processes and theorists building models of collective behaviour.

Edition details

• Publisher: Thela Thesis Publishers
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9051704003
• ISBN 13: 9789051704006
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252