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Talent and experience shape competitive social hierarchies
Márton Pósfai1, Raissa M D'Souza2
1Complexity Sciences Center and Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Physical Review. E
|September 27, 2018
Summary
Social hierarchies are shaped by individual talent and social dynamics. Our model reveals a trade-off between stability and talent in ranks, with older, less talented individuals sometimes blocking rising stars.
Area of Science:
- Social sciences
- Behavioral economics
- Mathematical biology
Background:
- Social hierarchies are common in nature and human societies, influencing resource distribution and stability.
- Existing models often overlook individual intrinsic abilities, focusing solely on social reinforcement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mathematical model integrating individual talent and social reinforcement in hierarchy formation.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of these factors on social stability and rank structure.
Main Methods:
- Developed a rigorous mathematical model for social hierarchy.
- Analyzed pairwise interactions and extended the model to open societies with dynamic populations.
Main Results:
- Identified a trade-off between relationship stability and placing the most talented individuals at the top.
- Observed paradoxical negative local correlations between talent and rank, despite a positive global correlation.
- Demonstrated that removing older, less talented individuals can trigger rank reversals, suppressing younger, more talented individuals.
Conclusions:
- Individual talent and social processes interact dynamically to shape social hierarchies.
- The presence of less talented, established individuals can impede the rise of more talented newcomers, impacting societal structure and stability.
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