Matthew O. Jackson

Here is a fresh, intriguing, and, above all, authoritative book about how our sometimes hidden positions in various social structures--our human networks--shape how we think and behave, and inform our very outlook on life. Inequality, social immobility, and political polarization are only a few crucial phenomena driven by the inevitability of social structures. Social structures determine who has power and influence, account for why people fail to assimilate basic facts, and enlarge our understanding of patterns of contagion--from the spread of disease to financial crises. Despite their primary role in shaping our lives, human networks are often overlooked when we try to account for our most important political and economic practices. Matthew O. Jackson brilliantly illuminates the complexity of the social networks in which we are--often unwittingly--positioned and aims to facilitate a deeper appreciation of why we are who we are. Ranging across disciplines--psychology, behavioral economics, sociology, and business--and rich with historical analogies and anecdotes, The Human Network provides a galvanizing account of what can drive success or failure in life.

How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs, and Behaviors

The Human Network

In this book, Matthew Jackson offers a comprehensive introduction to social and economic networks, drawing on the latest findings in economics, sociology, computer science, physics, and mathematics.

Social and Economic Networks

Here is a fresh, intriguing, and, above all, authoritative book about how our sometimes hidden positions in various social structures—our human networks—shape how we think and behave, and inform our very outlook on life. Inequality, social immobility, and political polarization are only a few crucial phenomena driven by the inevitability of social structures. Social structures determine who has power and influence, account for why people fail to assimilate basic facts, and enlarge our understanding of patterns of contagion—from the spread of disease to financial crises. Despite their primary role in shaping our lives, human networks are often overlooked when we try to account for our most important political and economic practices. Matthew O. Jackson brilliantly illuminates the complexity of the social networks in which we are—often unwittingly—positioned and aims to facilitate a deeper appreciation of why we are who we are. Ranging across disciplines—psychology, behavioral economics, sociology, and business—and rich with historical analogies and anecdotes, The Human Network provides a galvanizing account of what can drive success or failure in life.

I provide a (very) brief introduction to game theory. I have developed these notes to provide quick access to some of the basics of game theory; mainly as an aid for students in courses in which I assumed familiarity with game theory but did not require it as a prerequisite.

A Brief Introduction to the Basics of Game Theory

Jackson also describes the varied statistical and modeling techniques used to analyze social networks.

Alberto Bisin

Jess Benhabib

Through the use of new economic data and tools, the contributors survey an array of social interactions and decisions that typify homo economicus. Their work brings order to the sometimes conflicting claims that countries, environments, beliefs, and other influences make on our economic decisions.

Handbook of Social Economics

How can economists define and measure social preferences and interactions? Through the use of new economic data and tools, our contributors survey an array of social interactions and decisions that typify homo economicus. Identifying economic strains in activities such as learning, group formation, discrimination, and the creation of peer dynamics, they demonstrate how they tease out social preferences from the influences of culture, familial beliefs, religion, and other forces. Advances our understanding about quantifying social interactions and the effects of culture Summarizes research on theoretical and applied economic analyses of social preferences Explores the recent willingness among economists to consider new arguments in the utility function

Matthew O. Jackson

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