Social Norms: Conditional Preferences and Mutual Expectations

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Social cognition research studies how people think about others and as well as how they think they form impressions of each other, a critical topic in today's global village. The European Social Cognition Network's annual conference provides a unique forum for international scientific exchange, focusing on recent developments. The PI conducts cutting-edge research on the role of category salience and social scripts in social norms. Whereas past work has emphasized drawbacks of diversity and especially drawbacks of differences in perspective in group settings, the PI's work shows, for example, that diversity of perspectives in large groups can promote the social norm of fairness. Funds are requested for the PI and a current postdoctoral scholar to attend the annual conference in Gothenberg, Sweden, August 25-29th, 2010. The PI is an invited plenary speaker. The conference mixes junior (70%) and senior (30%) researchers, from 15-20 countries, mostly but not all European; all present research and receive concentrated feedback. Attendees interact formally and informally, fostering international research collaboration and general networks for future contact, serving to integrate the younger researchers into the international scientific community. This travel award ontributes to the broader impacts of the PI's involvement in this work.