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A New Sociology of Humans and Machines

Tsvetkova, Yasseri, Pescetelli, Werner

2024Nature Human Behaviour35 citations
Review / survey / meta-analysisInterdisciplinary
LLM / Generative AIAutomation / RobotsAI (General)Platforms / gig economyHuman-AI collaborationDecision-makingCollective intelligence / teamsAlgorithmic management
DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02001-8
Summary

Tsvetkova, Yasseri, Pescetelli, and Werner synthesize research from multiple disciplines to propose a new sociology of humans and machines, reviewing how networks of interdependent humans and intelligent machines (bots, algorithms, robots) produce collective outcomes in situations of competition, coordination, cooperation, contagion, and collective decision-making across contexts including financial markets, social media, and online collaboration platforms.

Main Finding

In human-machine social systems, collective outcomes differ fundamentally from human-only systems because machines behave differently from humans, humans interact differently with machines than with other humans, and machines indirectly affect human-human interactions; effects vary by machine prevalence, algorithms, network position, and interaction situation (competition, coordination, cooperation, contagion, collective decision-making).

Primary Datasets

Not applicable (literature review)

Secondary Datasets

Not applicable

Key Methods
Integrative literature review synthesizing research from agent-based models, controlled experiments, field interventions, and observational studies across human-computer interaction, robotics, web science, financial economics, and computational social science
Sample Period
Not applicable
Geographic Coverage
Global (reviews studies from multiple countries)
Sample Size
Reviews approximately 200+ studies across multiple domains
Level of Analysis
Individual, Firm, Industry
Occupation Classification
None
Industry Classification
None
Notes
Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876 [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction. [Claude classification]: Published in Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 1864-1876, 2024. This is a Perspective article that synthesizes research across multiple disciplines. Does not utilize systematic literature search but presents selected examples to showcase conceptualization. Reviews studies on high-frequency trading, social media bots (Twitter), Wikipedia bots, Reddit bots, and various experimental studies of human-robot/algorithm interaction.