4 - Coordination Norms

Summary

The pattern of social role interaction studied in Chapter 3 is an instance of a special kind of norm: a coordination norm. Seeing the pattern as a coordination norm links it to the large body work on such norms in game theory, philosophy, sociology, economics, and political science. The exchange of information in social role interactions is governed by a special kind of coordination norm: an informational norm. Coordination norms – and informational norms in particular – require that the parties to the norm have common knowledge that they will conform to it. When common knowledge collapses (as it may under the onslaught of surveillance), coordination under the norm becomes impossible. People may still coordinate their actions to realized shared goals, but it is significantly more difficult to do so.