In many situations we want to choose similarly to others, such as buying the same technology our colleagues buy to be compatible, or going to the same social events as our friends for it makes us happier than going out without them. But, when there are different choices to make it is not evident what one should choose. This is specially prominent when people prefer different options to those of their friends. That is, when preferences are in conflict. In this project we investigate how conflicts in preferences affect peoples choices to relate between them, and how the relation between preferences and pressure (influence) from those around us shape our behavior.
Productive capacities refer to the ability people have to influence the achievement of valuable outcomes. For instance, if a researcher is interested in writing a scientific paper with a coauthor, the productive capacity of that coauthor can be seen as her expertise on the topic of the research. In this project we investigate how productive capacities influence what relationships are formed and to what extent people use their resources in each of their relationships. That is, we seek to explain under what conditions differences in the productive capacities people have can lead to social exclusion and reduce the opportunities some have (e.g. the least experts) to achieve valuable outcomes.
The way we use communication is determinant for the outcomes we can achieve and the way we can influence other people's involvement in such outcomes. In situations of conflict, where one's interest is not aligned to that of our counterpart, such as cases of competition, communication can be used to gain power. Threats are a way to do so. We can threat our counterpart that unless she behaves in the way we want her to, we are willing to risk our wellbeing in order to punish her. In this project we study the effect of threats and promises as a mechanism of commitment that helps gain bargaining power in settings of conflict.
