The emergence of consensus: a primer.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Complex Systems Science
• Game Theory

Background:

• The origin of population-scale coordination and social consensus remains a long-standing question.
• Existing literature is fragmented across multiple disciplines, hindering comprehensive understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a concise overview of spontaneous consensus emergence.
• To discuss key dimensions and representative examples of social coordination.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing game theory, evolutionary approaches, and complex systems science.
• Focus on spontaneous consensus in the absence of centralized institutions.
• Analysis of behavioral contagion, social networks, and consensus-disrupting mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Consensus can emerge spontaneously through microscopic behavioral rules.
• Social networks play a crucial role in the spread and formation of consensus.
• Mechanisms exist that prevent or alter consensus formation.

Conclusions:

• This review consolidates diverse research on spontaneous social consensus.
• Highlights the importance of experimental approaches in understanding emergent social phenomena.
• Provides a navigable overview for researchers in the field.