Book Review of Analytical sociology (Hedstrom, Peter and Bearman, Peter S, 2009)

This book aims to develop a theory to develop meso-level theory by explaining macro organizational phenomena from micro actors’ behaviors. It starts from two micro level analysis – ego-centered and alter-centered explanation. The core argument is that actors’ decisions are strongly influenced by their emotions, beliefs, preferences, available choices and possible heuristic biases. Individuals’ decisions and expectations form trust and social norms. Trust and social norms are the building block for the emergence of social networks. The concentration and layout of social networks form status and hierarchy as we see in the macro world.


Ego-centered explanation

Five topics are discussed. First, Emotions determine belief. Urgency-based emotions (preference of earlier action over later action)can determine outcomes (Jon Elster).

Second, actors' behaviors will be influenced by their belief. Actors’ belief can be formed by observation (repeated interaction), influence/socialization, induction, deduction from others' beliefs, adaptation to desire and dissonance-reduction mechanisms (beliefs are part of the belief system). (Jens Rydgren)

Third, actors' preferences influence their behaviors. Preferences can be changed and expressed in different ways. Therefore, we should know how preferences are formed and expressed. (Jeremy Freese)

Fourth, available opportunities for actors will constrain actors' behaviors. Therefore, actors can expand their opportunities and restrict others' opportunities to shape their behaviors (Trond Peterson).

Fifth, heuristics can bias people's decisions and different heuristics lead to different inference. Why some heuristics are more successful than others in some contexts (Dan Goldstein)


Alter-centered explanation

When individuals start to form groups, they need to organize their interpersonal relationships by sending signals, building expectations and develop trust. First, some of the seemingly irrational behaviors can be explained as a signal in complex and uncertain social context (Diego Gambetta). Signaling is important as it will influence the access of possible resources in the future. For example, individuals spend a lot of money on luxuries to signal their status and the status can attract more other high status individuals, who may have valuable resources.

Second, social norms are non-outcome oriented injuctions to act or to abstain from acting, sustained by sanctions. Actors follow social norm to avoid shame. (Jon Elster)

Third, trust is important to keep social order, but how it intercalates in formal control mechanisms- whether it substitutes, undermines or supports the mechanism? What are the macro consequences when trust decreases (Cook and Gerbasi)


Macro-level Theory

When trust, social norms and signaling have become institutionalized and stable, a basic social structure has emerged as a network. The structure and influence of the network have been discussed from five different sub-streams.

First, segregation dynamics try to explain the idea that individuals' choices are influenced by their identity and others' identity. (Bruch and Mare).

Second, to answer the question why some cultural good are more successful than others, Salganik and Watts bring the social identity issue, where

Third, Baldassarri explains how interpersonal influences shape collective identities and interests.

Forth, homophily is not simple preference, it also influences how social network is changed and diffuse.

Fifth, status and hierarchy in social networks are a huge research area to understand the structure of networks.



References:

Hedström, Peter, and Peter Bearman, eds. The Oxford handbook of analytical sociology. Oxford University Press, 2009.