Janice StetsDistinguished Professor of SociologySociology Dept jans@ucr.edu(951) 827-3424
The Study of Social Structure, Identity, and Exchange
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AWARD NUMBER
007009-003
FUND NUMBER
21327
STATUS
Closed
AWARD TYPE
3-Grant
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AWARD EXECUTION DATE
11/19/2014
BEGIN DATE
11/19/2014
END DATE
8/31/2016
AWARD AMOUNT
$12,000
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Sponsor Information
SPONSOR AWARD NUMBER
SPONSOR
SPONSOR TYPE
FUNCTION
Organized Research
PROGRAM NAME
Proposal Information
PROPOSAL NUMBER
15030285
PROPOSAL TYPE
New
ACTIVITY TYPE
Applied Research
PI Information
PI
Stets, Jan E
PI TITLE
Other
PI DEPTARTMENT
Sociology
PI COLLEGE/SCHOOL
Coll of Hum, Arts & Social Sci
CO PIs
Burke, Peter J; Savage, Scott;
Project Information
ABSTRACT
This research examines the broader scientific question regarding how social structure and human agency interact to affect how people negotiate for resources in small exchange networks as well as the ties that develop between individuals in those networks. Specifically, this research studies how those in three- and four-person networks bargain over resources, and how their bargaining is modified to produce more (or less) equality and more (or less) solidarity when their fairness identity (how fair they perceive themselves to be, ranging from low to high) is activated in a situation. The research also will manipulate whether the fairness identity is verified or not verified during the bargaining situation to examine the negotiation strategies that individuals devise in response to the identity feedback.
The principal investigators conduct three experiments over two years. In two of the experiments, they create a power-imbalanced network and examine how different levels of power and different levels of fairness influence whether individuals come to divide resources equally. They also examine how different distributions of the fairness identity across positions in the network affect the division of resources. In the third experiment, they create power-balanced networks of three- and four-persons to study how structurally induced exclusion modifies the effects of the fairness identity on how people negotiate. In all three studies, individuals experience identity verification or non-verification to track how this influences their behavioral responses. Additionally, the research tracks the equality in outcomes and whether social bonds are forged among individuals.
Findings from this research have broad implications for understanding inequality in our society. The results will tell us how aspects of the individual (here, one's fairness identity) modify how resources are negotiated (either exacerbating or suppressing the relative deprivation that can result from these negotiations) as well as influence the development of positive ties such as trust and solidarity. More generally, the results will lend insight into how one's identity influences outcomes in a situation by modifying the effects that emerge on the basis of one's position of power. These findings are particularly valuable to social scientists, public policy analysts, and grass-roots organizations that examine and want to reduce inequality in society. Educationally, this research also advances undergraduate and graduate training in research, as students gain expertise in experimental design and theory testing.(Abstract from NSF)
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