Objective
Theoretical and experimental research has significantly advanced our understanding of the economic and psychological factors underpinning human group conflict. Yet, a critical gap persists: nearly all existing research assumes that competing groups are fixed. This neglects the fact that conflict actively and dynamically affects group formation and that this can have a crucial impact on competitive success. Here, I propose to examine key drivers and consequences of such group formation processes under conditions of conflict.
Specifically, I contribute to answering three related research questions: (i) How do people choose which groups to join under conditions of conflict? (ii) How do group size and social identity interact to influence these choices? And (iii): How do such group formation processes impact groups’ competitiveness and success?
I tackle these questions via two independent yet complementary work packages (‘WPs’):
WP1 combines game-theoretic analyses with a series of experiments to systematically examine how key group characteristics impact group choice under conditions of conflict. Specifically, it tests for the influence of structural aspects such as group size and psychological factors tied to social identity.
WP2 uses agent-based simulations to investigate how individuals' preferences for group choice evolve over time in response to the adoption of group-level strategies aimed at resolving collective action problems. Part 1 will assess how variations in the type and effectiveness of these strategies affect group choice, size, and success. Part 2 provides a theoretical analysis of the role of social identity in group formation, complementing WP1’s empirical findings.
This project advances a novel line of inquiry into the precursors and mechanisms underlying intergroup conflict, contributing significant insights into how structural and psychological factors drive group formation in this context.
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
80539 Munchen
Germany