Role of social disorder-related environmental cues as signals in modulating social learning, norm non-compliance and collective decisions in human societies

摘要

Observational learning and social norms are important in the functioning of human societies. This article attempts to understand human behavioural response to disorder-related cues such as litter, graffiti, etc. by integrating information from disparate areas, including group behaviour, communication, social norms and behavioural imitation. Signals obtained from disorder-related cues and social learning appear to be involved in modulating human behavioural response to observed social norms in a society. It is suggested here that signals indicating orderly and appropriate behaviours may stimulate the same in observers, gradually resulting in the spread of orderly behaviour and compliance of rules in general, in a society.