The Emergence of a Shared Identity

An Agent-Based Computer Simulation of Idea Diffusion

Bibliographic Data

ID6285355
AuthorsDavid L Rousseau (0000-0003-4291-1622, University at Albany, State University of New York, corresponding author), David Rousseau (0000-0002-7935-1609, University at Albany, State University of New York), A Maurits Van Der Veen (0000-0002-7970-8102, University of Georgia)
Year2005
Volume49
Issue5
Pages686-712
Publication date2005-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Conflict Resolution (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0027 • E-ISSN: 1552-8766
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022002705279336
OpenAlexW2168259576
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited49

Liberal theorists and, more recently, constructivists have argued that a shared sense of identity will decrease threat perception and increase international cooperation. But what processes lead to the emergence (or collapse) of a shared sense of identity? Drawing on individual-level experiments of identity change and societal-level theories of idea diffusion from the constructivist literature, the authors develop an agent-based computer simulation of identity change. Four findings emerge from the analysis: (1) there is a curvilinear relationship between the complexity of agents'views and the emergence of shared identity, (2) highly unstable environments encourage the emergence of a shared identity, (3) the presence of leaders (i.e., agents with greater influence in the population) in the neighborhood decreases shared identity, and (4) the interaction of complexity, stability, and leadership produces extremely polarized societies

Aesthetics · Collective identity · Epistemology · Identity (music · Identity formation · Perception · Political science · Politics · Population · Self-concept · Sociology · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Law · Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence · Psychology · Social Capital and Networks · Social Psychology

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