title: Expert Game experiment predicts emergence of trust in professional communication networks.
abstract: Strong social capital is increasingly recognized as an organizational advantage. Better knowledge sharing and reduced transaction costs increase work efficiency. To mimic the formation of the associated communication network, we propose the Expert Game, where each individual must find a specific expert and receive her help. Participants act in an impersonal environment and under time constraints that provide short-term incentives for noncooperative behavior. Despite these constraints, we observe cooperation between individuals and the self-organization of a sustained trust network, which facilitates efficient communication channels with increased information flow. We build a behavioral model that explains the experimental dynamics. Analysis of the model reveals an exploitation protection mechanism and measurable social capital, which quantitatively describe the economic utility of trust.
authors.affiliation: Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian Moss
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bendtsen
authors.affiliation: Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uekermann
authors.affiliation: Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark haerter@nbi.dk.
authors.forename: Jan O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Haerter
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000941:ethics*; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D000068616:Professionalism / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics*; D060756:Social Networking; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: communication network; cooperation evolution; experimental economics; game theory; social capital