… Do as the Romans do. A model of conformity with the endogenous formation of preferences

This note is an answer to a previous model on conformity in public goods contributions developed by Carpenter (2004), where a population evolution is allowed according to the standard replicator dynamic (Taylor and Jonker, 1978 and Maynard Smith, 1982). To confirm his theoretical prediction, Carpenter developed an experiment showing that free riding actually grows faster when agents have the information necessary to conform. The model and the experiment are, however, inherently different, for the time scales of the model are not able to capture the short run convergence of behavior in the experimental laboratory.We here present a model of conformity which offers the same laboratory results as Carpenter without resorting to evolutionary models, and also gives agents the chance to adopt different strategies implying various levels of cooperation.

► This note is an answer to a previous model on conformity in public contributions developed by Carpenter (2004).
► To show how the population evolves, Carpenter uses the standard replicator dynamic model and tests it in a standard public goods experiment.
► We present a model of conformity which offers the same laboratory results as Carpenter without resorting to evolutionary models.
► Our model also gives agents the chance to adopt different strategies implying various levels of cooperation.