Population dynamics necessary to avert unpopular norms

Abstract

People lives in the society abide by different norms and sometime these norms are unpopular. Usually, these norms develop within small local community, but later spread out to entire population. It is evidenced that the people not only abide by these norms but also start enforcing in certain situations. It is imperative to know why people enforce a norm they privately oppose. Furthermore, for the overall societal good, many a times, it is necessary to oppose and possibly avert unpopular norms. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to know the conditions, which enable persistence of the unpopular norms and models that support possible aversion of them. This study attempts to elaborate the conditions and reasons for the emergence, spreading and aversion of unpopular norms in society, using theory-driven agent-based simulation. The simulation results reveal that in addition to agents actively participating in averting the unpopular norm, incorporating a rational decision-making model in the population of agents is necessary to achieve a dominant norm aversion.