Citation
Threshold models of collective behavior
TL;DR
Individuals have different thresholds for joining collective action
Granovetter's seminal paper provided the theoretical foundation for understanding threshold-based collective action in human systems. He showed how individual thresholds for joining collective action (riots, strikes, adoption decisions) aggregate to produce population-level dynamics that can tip suddenly from inaction to action.
The paper bridges biological quorum sensing and organizational coordination, demonstrating that threshold-dependent collective action is a general phenomenon across domains.
Key Findings from Granovetter (1978)
- Individuals have different thresholds for joining collective action
- Population outcome depends on distribution of individual thresholds
- Small changes in threshold distribution can cause dramatic shifts in collective behavior
- Tipping points emerge from aggregation of individual decisions