Chris Allen and Socializing
Chris Allen has been doing a series of posts on the sizes of social groups, what factors can make groups work and not work, and related bits, like the use of software to help manage groups of friends.
His latest post is Dunbar, Altruistic Punishment, and Meta-Moderation. It concludes:
In summary this research offers me another widget for my social software toolbox: in any group process look for the commons, allow participants to participate in identifing defectors; determine what the costs are for such identification (which may be as simple as requiring some attention or charging for such punishment); and encourage participation in the common good by punishing those who do not participate in seeking out defectors.
I hope Chris doesn’t punish me for saying that I don’t have a lot to add, but I enjoyed reading this.