TITLE: UNDERSTANDING TABOOS: THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY AND IDENTITY
Abstract
Taboos play a crucial role in shaping societal behavior and identity. Rooted in shared values and cultural norms, taboos dictate acceptable conduct and often extend to regulating thoughts. This paper delves into the origins, functions, and effects of taboos, exploring their distinction from social norms and their impact on individual choices and societal structures. By formalizing a model that captures the dynamics of taboos within societies, we analyze the interplay between taboos, private benefits, social punishment, and societal heterogeneity. Furthermore, we examine the emergence and coexistence of multiple identities within a society, each characterized by its own set of taboos. Through this analysis, we gain insights into the complex mechanisms through which taboos influence human behavior and shape social dynamics.
References
Akerlof, G. A. (1976). The Economics of Caste and of the Rat Race and Other Woeful Tales.
Akerlof, G. A. (1980). A Theory of Social Custom, of Which Unemployment May be One Consequence.
Benabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2006). Incentives and Prosocial Behavior.
Cohen, Y. (1978). The Regulation of Incest.
Fessler, D. M., & Navarrete, C. D. (2003). Domain-specific variation in disgust sensitivity across the menstrual cycle.
Fiske, A. P., & Tetlock, P. E. (1997). Taboo Trade-offs: Reactions to Transactions That Transgress the Spheres of Justice.
Roth, A. E. (2007). Repugnance as a Constraint on Markets.
Spain, D. H. (1988). Incest: A Biosocial View.
Tetlock, P. E., Kristel, O. V., Elson, S. B., Green, M. C., & Lerner, J. S. (2000). The Psychology of the Unthinkable: Taboo Trade-Offs, Forbidden Base Rates, and Heretical Counterfactuals.
