Polarization and free-riding in collective action

• Project/Area Number: 24K16333
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 07010:Economic theory-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Romic Ivan 神戸大学, 計算社会科学研究センター, 特命助教 (40963020)
• Project Period (FY): 2024-04-01 – 2026-03-31
• Project Status: Granted (Fiscal Year 2024)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2025: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000); Fiscal Year 2024: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: polarization / game theory / networks / collective action / public goods

Outline of Research at the Start

Many major global challenges could be addressed through consensus-driven action. This project aims to apply a generalized network science framework to understand how individual differences evolve into group-defining traits, fostering polarization and encouraging free-riding in collective action.