Experimental study of inequality and unpredictability in an artificial cultural market

Matthew J. Salganik, Peter Sheridan Dodds, Duncan J. Watts

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1428 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hit songs, books, and movies are many times more successful than average, suggesting that "the best" alternatives are qualitatively different from "the rest"; yet experts routinely fail to predict which products will succeed. We investigated this paradox experimentally, by creating an artificial "music market" in which 14,341 participants downloaded previously unknown songs either with or without knowledge of previous participants' choices. Increasing the strength of social influence increased both inequality and unpredictability of success. Success was also only partly determined by quality: The best songs rarely did poorly, and the worst rarely did well, but any other result was possible.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)854-856
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume311
Issue number5762
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 10 2006
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Experimental study of inequality and unpredictability in an artificial cultural market'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this