A Theory of Social Motivation

This paper develops a theory of social norms: what they are, how they form, and how they change. The theory also makes predictions about group formation, categorization, and discrimination, and it can be extended to model leadership and fairness. The paper accounts for the existence of “oppositional culture,” where minority groups disparage the majority and are disparaged in turn. An explanation is suggested for the rise of an African-American oppositional culture of this sort in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Other implications of the model are also elaborated. According to the theory, social norms can form because they support cooperation between individuals. An aspect of how people categorize themselves and others–called "comparative fit"–is explained by the theory. JEL Codes: D00, D60, D70, D80, J71.