Fleur: Social Values Orientation for Robust Norm Emergence

Sz-Ting Tzeng, Nirav Ajmeri, Munindar P. Singh

Abstract: By regulating agent interactions, norms facilitate coordination in multiagent systems. We investigate challenges and opportunities in the emergence of norms of prosociality, such as vaccination and mask wearing. Little research on norm emergence has incorporated social preferences, which determines how agents behave when others are involved. We evaluate the influence of preference distributions in a society on the emergence of prosocial norms. We adopt the Social Value Orientation (SVO) framework, which places value preferences along the dimensions of self and other. SVO brings forth the aspects of values most relevant to prosociality. Therefore, it provides an effective basis to structure our evaluation. We find that including SVO in agents enables (1) better social experience; and (2) robust norm emergence.