Document Type
Discussion Paper
Publication Date
4-1-2018
CFDP Number
2128R2
CFDP Revision Date
10-27-2021
CFDP Pages
46
Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) Code(s)
C70, D83, D90
Abstract
We formulate a model of social interactions and misinferences by agents who neglect assortativity in their society, mistakenly believing that they interact with a representative sample of the population. A key component of our approach is the interplay between this bias and agents’ strategic incentives. We highlight a mechanism through which assortativity neglect, combined with strategic complementarities in agents’ behavior, drives up action dispersion in society (e.g., socioeconomic disparities in education investment). We also show how the combination of assortativity neglect and strategic incentives may help to explain empirically documented misperceptions of income inequality and political attitude polarization.
Recommended Citation
Frick, Mira; Iijima, Ryota; and Ishii, Yuhta, "Dispersed Behavior and Perceptions in Assortative Societies" (2018). Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers. 2650.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cowles-discussion-paper-series/2650
Supplemental material