Marciano, D., Sehtman-Shachar, S., Choshen-Hillel, S., & Perry, A. . (Forthcoming).
How agency shapes social preferences: Using mouse-tracking to reveal changes in cognitive conflict
. Retrieved from https://osf.io/yghnj/download Publisher's VersionInequity aversion is a fundamental social preference. Concern for others’ welfare is yet another fundamental social preference. What do people prefer when maximizing others’ welfare creates an inequality that disadvantages them? Prior research has shown that people’s preferences depend on their level of agency, that is, their control over the allocation. Behaviorally, agentic decision makers have been shown to be more likely to prefer allocations that give another person more than them, compared to non-agentic ones. However, the cognitive processes underlying this shift of preference remain unclear. Here, we used mouse-tracking and reaction times to investigate how agency shapes social preferences in such cases. We examined decision conflict, the level of conflict experienced in arriving at a given choice, as a way to uncover whether different underlying social preferences are at play when one has versus does not have agency. We predicted an interaction effect of agency and choice on conflict, where choosing the prosocial option would be associated with less conflict in the Agency condition compared to the No-Agency condition, and that the opposite would be true for the equitable option. In our task, on each of trial, participants were presented with two allocation options: an equitable option (eg, 50 cents for self, 50 cents for other) and an inequitable and prosocial option, favoring the other participant over oneself (eg, 50 cents for self, 70 cents for other). Agentic participants chose one option to be implemented, whereas non-agentic participants indicated their preference, knowing that the lab manager had already made the decision. In two studies (N= 586), including a preregistered one, an interaction effect emerged in both mouse trajectory and reaction time analyses. These results suggest that agency alters social preferences during the decision-making process, and challenge traditional inequity aversion models claiming that people inherently dislike inequitable outcomes. Granting agency may be a powerful tool for maximizing social welfare in situations where equity and prosocial behavior are at odds.
Babaioff, M., & Nisan, N. . (Forthcoming). On the Optimality of EIP-1559 for Patient Bidders (Draft - Comments Welcome)
. Retrieved from https://www.cs.huji.ac.il/~noam/publications/patient1559.pdf Publisher's VersionThe “EIP-1599 algorithm” is used by the Ethereum blockchain to assemble transactions into blocks. While prior work has studied it under the assumption that bidders are “impatient”, we analyze it under the assumption that bidders are “patient”, which better corresponds to the fact that unscheduled transactions remain in the mempool and can be scheduled at a later time. We show that with “patient” bidders, this algorithm produces schedules of near-optimal welfare, provided it is given a mild resource augmentation (that does not increase with the time horizon). We prove some generalizations of the basic theorem, establish lower bounds that rule out several candidate improvements and extensions, and propose several questions for future work.
Foster, D. P., & Hart, S. . (Forthcoming). Large Deviations Inequalities for Unequal Probability Sampling Without Replacement. arXiv preprint. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.03955 Publisher's VersionWe provide bounds on the tail probabilities for simple procedures that generate random samples without replacement, when the probabilities of being selected need not be equal.
Branzei, S., Mehta, R., & Nisan, N. . (Forthcoming). Tit-for-Tat Strategies Drive Growth and Inequality in Production Economies
. Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences. Retrieved from http://simina.info/production_main.pdf Publisher's VersionIncreasing inequality in free-market economies worldwide undermines stability, fueling extremism and crime. We consider an abstract model of an expanding economy with connected agents, which captures the circularity and dynamism of real economies. The agents, acting as producers, continuously produce and trade goods, while adjusting their strategies for investing in these goods based on past performance. This adjustment process is based on tit-fortat responses to mirror the market behaviors of others. We show this model captures central phenomena observed in real-life markets such as growth, inequality, and free-riding. Specifically, we find that the economy grows whenever growth is feasible within the parameters of the model. However, growth is accompanied by rising inequality, with rich and poor agents emerging and the gaps between their fortunes expanding over time.
Manski, C. F., & Sheshinski, E. . (Forthcoming). The Subtlety of Optimal Paternalism in a Population with Bounded Rationality
. arXiv preprint. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.13658 Publisher's VersionWe consider a utilitarian planner with the power to design a discrete choice set for a heterogeneous population with bounded rationality. We find that optimal paternalism is subtle. The policy that most effectively constrains or influences choices depends on the preference distribution of the population and on the choice probabilities conditional on preferences that measure the suboptimality of behavior. We first consider the planning problem in abstraction. We next examine policy choice when individuals measure utility with additive random error and maximize mismeasured rather than actual utility. We then analyze a class of problems of binary treatment choice under uncertainty. Here we suppose that a planner can mandate a treatment conditional on publicly observed personal covariates or can decentralize decision making, enabling persons to choose their own treatments. Bounded rationality may take the form of deviations between subjective personal beliefs and objective probabilities of uncertain outcomes. We apply our analysis to clinical decision making in medicine. Having documented that optimization of paternalism requires the planner to possess extensive knowledge that is rarely available, we address the difficult problem of paternalistic policy choice when the planner is boundedly rational.
Frank, R., Bernanke, B., Antonovics, K., & Heffetz, O. . (2024). Principles of Macroeconomics. McGraw Hill. Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/Principles-of-Macroeconomics-Frank.html Publisher's VersionEmbark on an exploration of macroeconomics with its 2024 release, unfolding against the backdrop of unprecedented economic transformations. As the world grapples with challenges, this product’s focused approach equips you to decipher the complexities of macroeconomics in a rapidly evolving environment. This product’s philosophy stands strong: strip away the unnecessary and intensify focus on central concepts. Our goal is to produce macroeconomic naturalists who see each economic event because of a cost-benefit calculation. From understanding the reasons behind holding U.S. dollars to unraveling the impact of inflation, this textbook actively engages students, making macroeconomics a language they speak fluently. With heavy emphasis on globalization, this text navigates real wage inequality, costs and benefits of trade, protectionism, and the link between exchange rates and monetary policy. Frank, Nobel-Prize winner: Bernanke, Antonovics, and Heffetz bring expertise to every chapter keeping the learning fresh, engaging, and always up-to-date.
Martignoni, M. M., & Kolodny, O. . (2024).
Microbiome transfer from native to invasive species may increase invasion risk
. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1318 Publisher's VersionIn a fast-changing world, understanding how organisms adapt to their environment is a pressing necessity. Research has focused on genetic adaptation, while our understanding of non-genetic modes is still in its infancy. The host-associated microbiome can be considered a non-genetic mode of adaptation, which can strongly influence an organism’s ability to cope with its environment. However, the role of the microbiome in host ecological dynamics is largely unexplored, particularly in animal communities. Here, we discuss the following hypothesis: invasive species may rapidly adapt to local conditions by adopting beneficial microbes from similar co-occurring native species. This occurs when the invader’s fitness is influenced by adaptation to local conditions that is facilitated by microbes acquired from native microbiomes. We present a minimal mathematical model to explore this hypothesis and show that a delayed acquisition of native microbes may explain the occurrence of an invasion lag. Overall, our results contribute to broadening the conceptualization of rapid adaptation via microbiome transfer and offer insights towards designing early intervention strategies for invasive species management.
Segal, H., Rum, Y., Barkan, A., & Knafo-Noam, A. . (2024). 'You and me': Parental perceptions on asymmetry in twins' development and their dominance relationship dynamics. Family Relations. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13104 Publisher's Version
Objective
This study investigated the role of nontypical development in the relative dominance in twins' relationships throughout childhood.
Background
Dominance dynamics, affecting siblings' well-being, are different in twins than in singletons for whom age and development often dictate sibling hierarchy. These dynamics in twins, who share similar ages and developmental contexts, remain underexplored and demand further understanding.
Method
A longitudinal study surveyed 1,547 mothers and 536 fathers of 322 monozygotic (sharing nearly 100% genes) and 1,199 dizygotic (sharing 50% genetic variance) twin pairs, aged 3 to 8–9. Both parents reported on the twins' relationships. Mothers reported whether either twin had a developmental condition.
Results
No dominance difference was found in similar developmental conditions dyads, whether both twins had typical or nontypical development. However, in dyads where twins differed in the developmental condition, nontypically developing twins were less dominant than their typically developing cotwins. This dominance imbalance persisted throughout childhood, even if initial developmental issues were resolved.
Conclusion
From parents' perspectives, nontypical development does not, in itself, prevent children from demonstrating dominance behaviors in twinship, but it is more likely that the asymmetry in developmental conditions is associated with the relationship between the twins.
Implications and Recommendations
According to parents' perceptions, twins with nontypical development might experience imbalances in their relationship throughout childhood when their co-twin is a typically developing child. However, demonstrating dominance might be possible for them in other contexts. Understanding these dominance dynamics is vital for caregivers, informing tailored parenting strategies and interventions to support the well-being of children.
Mating success depends on many factors, but first of all, a male and a female need to meet at the same place and time. The circadian clock is an endogenous system regulating activity and sex-related behaviors in animals. We studied bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) in which the influence of circadian rhythms on sexual behavior has been little explored. We characterized circadian rhythms in adult emergence and locomotor activity under different illumination regimes for males and gynes (unmated queens). We developed a method to monitor adult emergence from the pupal cocoon and found no circadian rhythms in this behavior for either males or gynes. These results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the circadian clock regulates emergence from the pupa in this species. Consistent with this premise, we found that both gynes and males do not show circadian rhythms in locomotor activity during the first 3 days after pupal emergence, but shortly after developed robust circadian rhythms that are readily shifted by a phase delay in illumination regime. We conclude that the bumble bees do not need strong rhythms in adult emergence and during early adult life in their protected and regulated nest environment, but do need strong activity rhythms for timing flights and mating-related behaviors. Next, we tested the hypothesis that the locomotor activity of males and gynes have a similar phase, which may improve mating success. We found that both males and gynes have strong endogenous circadian rhythms that are entrained by the illumination regime, but males show rhythms at an earlier age, their rhythms are stronger, and their phase is slightly advanced relative to that of gynes. An earlier phase may be advantageous to males competing to mate a receptive gyne. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that sex-related variations in circadian rhythms is shaped by sexual selection.
Bayerl, A., Dover, Y., Riemer, H., & Shapira, D. . (2024). Gender rating gap in online review. Nature Human Behaviour. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02003-6 Publisher's VersionAlthough online reviews are used by many people to make decisions, these reviews may be biased. On the basis of 1.2 billion observations across five leading online review platforms and two lab studies (n = 1,172 and n = 1,165; US respondents fluent in English), we provide evidence for a consistent and systematic gender rating gap: women’s mean online review ratings are significantly more favourable than men’s. We suggest that although men and women, on average, generally do not differ in their ‘real’ attitudes, their ratings do differ when it comes to online reviews. Our lab studies revealed that such differences are due to gender differences in the propensity to share negative attitudes online, possibly due to women’s greater concern about social consequences. Our findings highlight the need for societal change to create conditions in which people, particularly women, feel comfortable publicly expressing genuine attitudes, especially in cases of dissatisfaction, without being concerned about the consequences.
Dorfman, A., & Harel, A. . (2024). Reclaiming the Public. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009327206 Publisher's VersionReclaiming the Public defines and defends the intrinsic value of “the public” that resides in our public institutions and the officials that run them. The book argues that public institutions do not simply act for us but instead speak and act in our name; i.e., they represent us. Representation requires that decisions made by public institutions or officials are consistent with the perspectives of citizens. If the decisions satisfy this requirement, these decisions are attributable to citizens, and citizens can be held responsible for them. This theory of political authority accounts for major features of our legal system, such as the non-instrumental grounds for the separation of law-making powers, the non-instrumental value of constitutions, the limits of privatization, the nature and value of public property, and the impermissibility of using artificial intelligence in setting certain policies and making certain decisions.
Loewenstein, Y., & Shental, N. . (2023). מודלים חישוביים במדעי הקוגניציה (p. 370). Retrieved from https://www.lamda-openubooks.co.il/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%93%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%97%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%A2%D7%99_%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%94 Publisher's Version
חוקר אמריקני נהג לטייל עם כלבו על קו המים בחוף אגם מישיגן ולזרוק כדור למרחק רב. הכלב, כך הבחין, חזר שוב ושוב על אותו דפוס פעולה: הוא רץ על החוף עד נקודה מסוימת, ואז קפץ לאגם ושחה עד הכדור. כיצד יודע הכלב לבחור פעם אחר פעם את המסלול היעיל ביותר מבחינתו?
התשובה לשאלה זו ולשאלות נוספות הנוגעות לתהליכי חשיבה טמונה במערך סבוך של רשתות נוירונים שכדי להבין אותם, אנו נדרשים לחישובים מורכבים. הספר מודלים חישוביים במדעי הקוגניציה משתמש בכלים מתמטיים כדי להסביר מהלכים קוגניטיביים, והניסויים והתופעות המתוארים בו מלווים בהסברים בהירים.
נעם שנטל הוא פרופסור במחלקה למדעי המחשב באוניברסיטה הפתוחה. מחקריו עוסקים בביולוגיה חישובית.
יונתן לוינשטיין הוא פרופסור במחלקות לנוירוביולוגיה ולמדעי הקוגניציה והמוח, וחבר במרכז אדמונד ולילי ספרא למדעי המוח ובמרכז פדרמן לחקר הרציונליות באוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים. מחקריו עוסקים באספקטים חישוביים במדעי המוח והקוגניציה.
Robert J Aumann has received numerous prizes, including the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for 2005.
With his 1976 paper, "Agreeing to Disagree", Robert Aumann pioneered the subject of interactive epistemology: the study of what people know, and what they know about what others know. Since then, the discipline has burgeoned enormously. This book documents Aumann's work leading to the 1976 paper and his subsequent contributions to the discipline. The scientific controversies emanating from his work are also included.
יש הסבורים כי עולמנו חסר מידה רבה יותר של אמפתיה, הבנה והשתתפות ברגשות הזולת ורצון לדאוג לרווחתו, ויש הטוענים שהאמפתיה היא דווקא יועצת רעה בקבלת החלטות. יש מי ששמים, דגש על אמפתיה בפרשנות של אמנות או סִפרות, וחשים שהיא נחוצה בכל מחקר היסטורי, בעוד שאחרים מאמינים שהיא מטה את דעתו של ההיסטוריון. כך או כך, לאמפתיה תפקיד מרכזי בחוויה האנושית, במערכות יחסים ובתרבות.
האמפתיה היא השתתפות ברגשות הזולת ורצון לדאוג לרווחתו. האמפתיה מאפשרת לשאול שאלות חדשות בקשר ליחסים בין יחידים וקבוצות, בין תחומים שונים כמו אמנות והיסטוריה, בין ההיסטוריון למושא מחקרו ובין היצירה למי שנחשף אליה.
ספר זה הוא תוצאה של מפגש ייחודי ובלתי-אמצעי בין חוקרים וחוקרות במדעי הרוח והחברה, שנמשך שלוש שנים במרכז מנדל סכוליון הפועל במסגרת בית הספר ע"ש ג'ק, ג'וזף ומורטון מנדל ללימודים מתקדמים במדעי הרוח באוניברסיטה העברית. המאמרים הנכללים בו יוצאים מגישות-מחקר שונות והם עוסקים בהיבטים חברתיים שונים שהאמפתיה זוכה בהם לביטוי. כולם יחד מצביעים על רוחב היריעה של הפעילות האמפתית בספרות ובאמנות הוויזואלית, בתחומי ההיסטוריה והפסיכולוגיה ובהקשרים הבין-אישיים.
החתירה אל האושר והפגנת אופטימיות וחיוביות לנוכח כל מצב הפכו ממטרה שרבים שואפים אליה לציווי חברתי רב־עוצמה שקשה לחמוק ממנו. האושר מכתיב את התנהגותנו ואת הציפיות שיש לנו מעצמנו ומאחרים כמעט בכל תחומי החיים. אך האם הוא אכן הטוב העליון שאליו ראוי שכולנו נתאווה?נראה שככה לפחות חושבים כל מומחי האושר החדשים, יחד עם הפסיכולוגים החיוביים, כלכלני האושר וכוהני הצמיחה האישית למיניהם. מגובים בתמיכה מצד מוסדות בעלי השפעה ותאגידים בינלאומיים עתירי ממון, אותם מומחים מטעם עצמם מציעים לנו את עזרתם האדיבה אך הנחרצת כדי להורות לנו איזו מדיניות ממשלתית יש לאמץ, באילו התערבויות חינוכיות יש לנקוט ואילו שינויים נידרש לעשות על מנת שחיינו יהיו משמעותיים, בריאים וטובים יותר.במישור האישי משתמע מכך גם המסר, שאם כשלנו במשימה הרי זוהי אשמתנו שלא השכלנו לגייס מוטיבציה מספקת ודבקות במטרה.
שלטון האושר מתעד וממפה בעזרת ספקנות בריאה את ההשפעה העצומה שיש למדע ולתעשיות האושר על חיינו וטוען שהברית הניאו־ליברלית בין הפסיכולוגים, הכלכלנים וכוהני העזרה העצמית הִצמיחה צורה דכאנית חדשה המשמשת באופן גלוי וסמוי כלי בידי בעלי אינטרסים שונים להפעיל אמצעים של שליטה וכוח במטרה לקדם את טובתם ולהכשיר מקרים של אי־שוויון מבני.אווה אילוז היא סוציולוגית ישראלית פורה בעלת שם עולמי. בין ספריה שראו אור בעברית: ’מדוע האהבה כואבת’ ו’סופה של האהבה’, שזכו להצלחה גדולה.אדגר קַבאנאס הוא פרופסור לפסיכולוגיה בספרד ושותף לצוות המחקר במכוןPLANCK MAXשבברלין לחקר היסטורי של הרגשות. זהו ספרו הראשון.
