Davide Barrera (davide.barrera@unito.it), University of Turin; Giulia Bocca (giulia.bocca@eui.eu) European University Institute; Sara Romanò (sara.romano@unito.it), University of Turin
Laboratory experiments have a long tradition in social psychology, whereas relatively recently their diffusion underwent a very fast growth in social sciences. The main reason of their success is that social experiments are particularly suitable for the analysis of causal relations and the study of micro mechanisms. The experimental methodology toolkit has become increasingly richer. Next to the more traditional lab- and field experiments, the toolkit now includes online experiments, often conducted on random samples of the general population, as well as the so-called lab-in-the-field experiments. These recent developments greatly improved the external validity of experimental findings, thereby enlarging the scientific scope of experimental research.
Moreover, by virtue of the integration between experimental and computational research it becomes possible to investigate the emergence of large-scale social phenomena and test non-linear generative mechanisms.
The session aims at collecting studies applying experimental methods – lab, field, online, and lab-in-the-field – that focus on the micro-mechanisms underlying the emergence of social and economic phenomena. Studies integrating experimental and computational research are also welcomed. We will appreciate empirical contributions from different disciplines. Below, we provide a non-exhaustive list of examples of possible topics:
- Conflict and cooperation
- Social norms and institutions
- Personal, relational, or generalized trust (genesis, evolution, and consequences)
- Reciprocity, shadow of the past
- Reputation, shadow of the future
- Diffusion
Proposals can be in Italian or English or Spanish.