#1210 Cristina Bicchieri: What Are Social Norms, and How do They Change?
RECORDED ON DECEMBER 30th 2025.
Dr. Cristina Bicchieri is S. J. Patterson Harvie Professor of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania. Her primary research focus is on judgment and decision making with special interest in decisions about fairness, trust, and cooperation, and how expectations affect behavior. A second research focus examines the nature and evolution of social norms, how to measure norms and what strategies to adopt to foster social change. A third, earlier research focus has been the epistemic foundations of game theory and how changes in information affects rational choices and solutions.
In this episode, we talk about social norms from the perspective of game theory. We discuss their role in society, norm stability and norm change, and what influences our choice to obey social norms. We explore the case of child marriage. We discuss the influence of group identity and peer effects, and also normative language. Finally, we talk about norm-nudging, strategies to foster social change, and how they can be applied to climate change.
Time Links:
Intro
Social norms from the perspective of game theory
The role of norms
Norm stability, and norm change
What influences our choice to obey a social norm?
The case of child marriage
The influence of group identity and peer effects
Normative language
Norm-nudging
Strategies to foster social change
Tackling climate change
Follow Dr. Bicchieri’s work!
Follow Dr. Bicchieri’s work:
Faculty page: https://tinyurl.com/bdeuswjv
PhilPeople profile: https://tinyurl.com/5b8cpx3u
Twitter handle: @CBicchieri