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Updated: Nov 1, 2025
06:18
The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm
Published on: October 20, 2022
2.3K
Stewardship of global collective behavior
Joseph B Bak-Coleman1,2, Mark Alfano3,4, Wolfram Barfuss5,6
1Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; joebak@uw.edu.
Summary
Collective behavior studies how groups act based on shared information. The digital age transforms this, requiring a "crisis discipline" approach for societal stewardship.
Area of Science:
- Social science
- Information science
- Collective behavior studies
Background:
- Human information flow was shaped by natural selection but is now altered by communication technologies.
- Modern social networks enable high-fidelity information transfer over long distances at low cost.
- The digital age and social media have rapidly changed social systems with unknown consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the poorly understood functional consequences of digital age changes on collective behavior.
- To advocate for the study of collective behavior as a crisis discipline.
- To emphasize the need for actionable insights for policymakers and regulators.
Main Methods:
- This study is primarily theoretical, synthesizing existing knowledge on collective behavior and information flow.
- It analyzes the impact of communication technologies on social systems.
- It draws parallels with other "crisis disciplines" like medicine and climate science.
Main Results:
- The rapid evolution of communication technologies has outpaced our understanding of their impact on collective behavior.
- A significant knowledge gap exists regarding the functional consequences of these changes.
- Existing frameworks for collective behavior are insufficient to address current challenges.
Conclusions:
- The study of collective behavior must adopt the urgency and actionable focus of a "crisis discipline".
- There is a critical need to provide policymakers and regulators with insights for managing social systems.
- Addressing challenges to scientific progress, democracy, and global crises requires a proactive approach to understanding collective behavior in the digital age.
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