How committed individuals shape social dynamics: A survey on coordination games and social dilemma games

Abstract

Committed individuals, who feature steadfast dedication to advocating strong beliefs, values, and preferences, have garnered much attention across statistical physics, social science, and computer science. This survey delves into the profound impact of committed individuals on social dynamics that emerge from coordination games and social dilemma games. Through separate examinations of their influence on coordination, including social conventions and color coordination games, and social dilemma games, including one-shot settings, repeated settings, and vaccination games, this survey reveals the significant role committed individuals play in shaping social dynamics. Their contributions range from accelerating or overturning social conventions to addressing cooperation dilemmas and expediting solutions for color coordination and vaccination issues. Furthermore, the survey outlines three promising directions for future research: conducting human behavior experiments for empirical validation, leveraging advanced large language models as proxies for committed individuals in complex scenarios, and addressing the potential negative impacts of committed individuals.