[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/gms/wpaper/1035.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Growing Stars: A Laboratory Analysis of Network Formation

Author

Listed:
  • Rong Rong

    (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University)

  • Daniel Houser

    (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University)

Abstract
The acquisition and dispersion of information, a critical aspect of economic decisions, can occur through a network of agents (Jackson, 2009). Empirical and theoretical findings suggest that an efficient information dispersion network takes the form of a star: small numbers of agents gather information and distribute it to a large group. Controlled tests of this theory, however, have typically found little evidence of star network emergence. An exception is Goeree et al (2009), which reports reliable star network formation in an environment that includes ex ante heterogeneous agents. While heterogeneity may explain network formation sometimes, it seems to play a smaller role in other cases (Feick and Price, 1987; Conley and Udry, 2010). In this paper we investigate whether specific institutional conditions promote star network formation with ex ante homogeneous agents. We  find  that  investment  limits  and  the  “right-of- first-refusal,† both  of  which  are institutions that stabilize decision making, have a surprising ability to promote star network formation. Further, using a cluster analysis that allows us to draw inferences about individuals’  behavioral rules, we find that these effective institutions encourage individual rationality as well as positive habits. We argue that these decision rules emerge due to the stabilizing features of the institutions and this stability facilitates improved network behaviors and outcomes. Length: 56

Suggested Citation

  • Rong Rong & Daniel Houser, 2012. "Growing Stars: A Laboratory Analysis of Network Formation," Working Papers 1035, George Mason University, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, revised Oct 2012.
    • Handle: RePEc:gms:wpaper:1035
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.gmu.edu/schools/chss/economics/icesworkingpapers.gmu.edu/pdf/1035.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. BEDAYO, Mikel & MAULEON, Ana & VANNETELBOSCH, Vincent, 2012. "Bargaining and delay in trading networks," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2012046, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    2. Falk Armin & Kosfeld Michael, 2012. "It's all about Connections: Evidence on Network Formation," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(3), pages 1-36, September.
    3. Daniel Houser & Michael Keane & Kevin McCabe, 2004. "Behavior in a Dynamic Decision Problem: An Analysis of Experimental Evidence Using a Bayesian Type Classification Algorithm," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 72(3), pages 781-822, May.
    4. Yann Bramoullé & Dunia López-Pintado & Sanjeev Goyal & Fernando Vega-Redondo, 2004. "Network formation and anti-coordination games," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 33(1), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Corbae, Dean & Duffy, John, 2008. "Experiments with network formation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 81-120, September.
    6. Timothy G. Conley & Christopher R. Udry, 2010. "Learning about a New Technology: Pineapple in Ghana," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(1), pages 35-69, March.
    7. Goeree, Jacob K. & Riedl, Arno & Ule, Aljaz, 2009. "In search of stars: Network formation among heterogeneous agents," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 445-466, November.
    8. Jackson, Matthew O. & Watts, Alison, 2002. "On the formation of interaction networks in social coordination games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 265-291, November.
    9. Jackson, Matthew O. & Wolinsky, Asher, 1996. "A Strategic Model of Social and Economic Networks," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 44-74, October.
    10. David Godes & Dina Mayzlin, 2009. "Firm-Created Word-of-Mouth Communication: Evidence from a Field Test," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(4), pages 721-739, 07-08.
    11. Song, Lina & Appleton, Simon & Knight, John, 2006. "Why Do Girls in Rural China Have Lower School Enrollment?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1639-1653, September.
    12. Jackson, Matthew O. & López-Pintado, Dunia, 2013. "Diffusion and contagion in networks with heterogeneous agents and homophily," Network Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 49-67, April.
    13. Hirschberg, Joseph G. & Maasoumi, Esfandiar & Slottje, Daniel J., 1991. "Cluster analysis for measuring welfare and quality of life across countries," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1-2), pages 131-150, October.
    14. Li, W. & Cai, X., 2007. "Empirical analysis of a scale-free railway network in China," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 382(2), pages 693-703.
    15. Goyal, Sanjeev & Vega-Redondo, Fernando, 2005. "Network formation and social coordination," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 178-207, February.
    16. Glenn Milligan & Martha Cooper, 1985. "An examination of procedures for determining the number of clusters in a data set," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 50(2), pages 159-179, June.
    17. Antonie Knigge & Vincent Buskens, 2010. "Coordination and Cooperation Problems in Network Good Production," Games, MDPI, vol. 1(4), pages 1-24, September.
    18. Kelly, J.A. & St. Lawrence, J.S. & Stevenson, L.Y. & Hauth, A.C. & Kalichman, S.C. & Diaz, Y.E. & Brasfield, T.L. & Koob, J.J. & Morgan, M.G., 1992. "Community AIDS/HIV risk reduction: The effects of endorsements by popular people in three cities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 82(11), pages 1483-1489.
    19. Venkatesh Bala & Sanjeev Goyal, 2000. "A Noncooperative Model of Network Formation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(5), pages 1181-1230, September.
    20. Cary Deck & Cathleen Johnson, 2004. "Link bidding in laboratory networks," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 8(4), pages 359-372, April.
    21. Joost Vandenbossche & Thomas Demuynck, 2013. "Network Formation with Heterogeneous Agents and Absolute Friction," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 42(1), pages 23-45, June.
    22. Jie Yan & Dimitris Assimakopoulos, 2009. "The small-world and scale-free structure of an internet technological community," International Journal of Information Technology and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(1), pages 33-49.
    23. Matthew O. Jackson, 2003. "A Survey of Models of Network Formation: Stability and Efficiency," Game Theory and Information 0303011, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    24. Urs Fischbacher, 2007. "z-Tree: Zurich toolbox for ready-made economic experiments," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 10(2), pages 171-178, June.
    25. Galeotti, Andrea & Goyal, Sanjeev & Kamphorst, Jurjen, 2006. "Network formation with heterogeneous players," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 353-372, February.
    26. Slottje, Daniel J, 1991. "Measuring the Quality of Life across Countries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(4), pages 684-693, November.
    27. Andrea Galeotti & Sanjeev Goyal, 2010. "The Law of the Few," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1468-1492, September.
    28. Caldarelli, Guido, 2007. "Scale-Free Networks: Complex Webs in Nature and Technology," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199211517.
    29. Matthew O. Jackson, 2002. "The Stability and Efficiency of Economic and Social Networks," Microeconomics 0211011, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    30. Siegfried Berninghaus & Karl-Martin Ehrhart & Marion Ott & Bodo Vogt, 2007. "Evolution of networks—an experimental analysis," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 317-347, June.
    31. Jie Yan & Dimitris Assimakopoulos, 2008. "The small-world and scale-free structure of an internet technological community," Post-Print hal-02313383, HAL.
    32. Aljaž Ule, 2008. "Partner Choice and Cooperation in Networks," Lecture Notes in Economics and Mathematical Systems, Springer, number 978-3-540-73016-3, October.
    33. Juan Larrosa & Fernando Tohme, 2003. "Network Formation with Heterogenous Agents," Microeconomics 0301002, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    34. Bramoulle, Yann & Kranton, Rachel, 2007. "Public goods in networks," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 135(1), pages 478-494, July.
    35. DiMasi, Joseph A. & Hansen, Ronald W. & Grabowski, Henry G., 2003. "The price of innovation: new estimates of drug development costs," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 151-185, March.
    36. Matthew O. Jackson & Brian W. Rogers, 2007. "Meeting Strangers and Friends of Friends: How Random Are Social Networks?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(3), pages 890-915, June.
    37. Callander, Steven & Plott, Charles R., 2005. "Principles of network development and evolution: an experimental study," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(8), pages 1469-1495, August.
    38. Goyal, Sanjeev & Vega-Redondo, Fernando, 2007. "Structural holes in social networks," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 460-492, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Boris van Leeuwen & Theo Offerman & Arthur Schram, 2013. "Superstars need Social Benefits: An Experiment on Network Formation," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-112/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    2. Lisa BREGER & Andrea SORENSEN, 2019. "Posted offers in exogenous networks: A theoretical application and experimental results," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(2(619), S), pages 21-46, Summer.
    3. Boris van Leeuwen & Theo Offerman & Arthur Schram, 2020. "Competition for Status Creates Superstars: an Experiment on Public Good Provision and Network Formation," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(2), pages 666-707.
    4. Charroin, Liza, 2023. "Heterogeneity in sequential network formation games," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    5. Zhang, Junhuan, 2018. "Influence of individual rationality on continuous double auction markets with networked traders," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 495(C), pages 353-392.
    6. Liza Charroin, 2016. "The effect of sequentiality and heterogeneity in network formation games," Working Papers 1629, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    7. Dong, Lu & Huang, Lingbo & Lien, Jaimie W. & Zheng, Jie, 2024. "How alliances form and conflict ensues," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 255-276.
    8. Deng, Liuchun & Sun, Yufeng, 2017. "Criminal network formation and optimal detection policy: The role of cascade of detection," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 43-63.
    9. Gergely Horvath & Mofei Jia, 2024. "The impact of social status on the formation of collaborative ties and effort provision: An experimental study," Papers 2403.05830, arXiv.org.
    10. Francesco Fallucchi & R. Andrew Luccasen & Theodore L. Turocy, 2017. "Behavioural types in public goods games: A re-analysis by hierarchical clutering," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Science (CBESS) 17-01R, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    11. Ying Chen & Tom Lane & Stuart McDonald, 2023. "Endogenous Network Formation in Local Public Goods: An Experimental Analysis," Discussion Papers 2023-02, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    12. He, Simin & Zou, Xinlu, 2024. "Public goods provision in a network formation game," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 104-131.
    13. Jasmina Arifovic & Giuseppe Danese, 2018. "Homophily and Social Norms in Experimental Network Formation Games," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-22, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jackson, Matthew O. & Zenou, Yves, 2015. "Games on Networks," Handbook of Game Theory with Economic Applications,, Elsevier.
    2. Boris van Leeuwen & Theo Offerman & Arthur Schram, 2020. "Competition for Status Creates Superstars: an Experiment on Public Good Provision and Network Formation," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(2), pages 666-707.
    3. Falk Armin & Kosfeld Michael, 2012. "It's all about Connections: Evidence on Network Formation," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(3), pages 1-36, September.
    4. Mariya Teteryatnikova & James Tremewan, 2015. "Stability in Network Formation Games with Streams of Payoffs: An Experimental Study," Vienna Economics Papers 1508, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
    5. Mariya Teteryatnikova & James Tremewan, 2020. "Myopic and farsighted stability in network formation games: an experimental study," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 69(4), pages 987-1021, June.
    6. Mariya Teteryatnikova & James Tremewan, 2015. "Stability in Network Formation Games with Streams of Payoffs: An Experimental Study," Vienna Economics Papers vie1508, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
    7. Arthur Schram & Boris Van Leeuwen & Theo Offerman, 2013. "Superstars Need Social Benefits: An Experiment on Network Formation," Working Papers 1306, Departament Empresa, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, revised Jul 2013.
    8. Gary Charness & Francesco Feri & Miguel A. Meléndez‐Jiménez & Matthias Sutter, 2014. "Experimental Games on Networks: Underpinnings of Behavior and Equilibrium Selection," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82(5), pages 1615-1670, September.
    9. Goeree, Jacob K. & Riedl, Arno & Ule, Aljaz, 2009. "In search of stars: Network formation among heterogeneous agents," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 445-466, November.
    10. Iryna Sikora, 2015. "Creative Production and Exchange of Ideas," 2015 Papers psi700, Job Market Papers.
    11. Alexander Elbittar & Rodrigo Harrison & Roberto Muñoz, 2014. "Network Structure In A Link Formation Game: An Experimental Study," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 52(4), pages 1341-1363, October.
    12. Harmsen - van Hout, M.J.W. & Dellaert, B.G.C. & Herings, P.J.J., 2008. "Behavorial effects in individual decisions of network formation," Research Memorandum 019, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    13. Huck, Steffen & Lünser, Gabriele K. & Tyran, Jean-Robert, 2012. "Competition fosters trust," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 195-209.
    14. Yangbo Song & Mihaela Schaar, 2015. "Dynamic network formation with incomplete information," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 59(2), pages 301-331, June.
    15. Liza Charroin, 2016. "The effect of sequentiality and heterogeneity in network formation games," Working Papers halshs-01368067, HAL.
    16. , D. & Tessone, Claudio J. & ,, 2014. "Nestedness in networks: A theoretical model and some applications," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 9(3), September.
    17. Choi, S & Goyal, S. & Moisan, F., 2019. "Connectors and Influencers," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1935, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    18. Carrillo, Juan D. & Gaduh, Arya, 2021. "Dynamics and stability of social and economic networks: Experimental evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 1144-1176.
    19. Doğan, Gönül & van Assen, Marcel & Potters, Jan, 2013. "The effect of link costs on simple buyer–seller networks," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 229-246.
    20. Michael Kosfeld, "undated". "Network Experiments," IEW - Working Papers 152, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    social networks; star network formation; cluster analysis; experiments.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gms:wpaper:1035. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Shams Bahabib (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/icgmuus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.