We investigate within a model of cultural transmission how policies or shocks that affect social diversity within a population affect social cohesion and segregation. We develop the concept of ‘bridging identity’, an individual trait that (i) positively affects utility in culturally diverse social groups but is immaterial in homogeneous groups and (ii) is fostered in those born in culturally diverse social groups but not in those born in homogeneous groups. We show that medium levels of immigration lead to higher bridging identity in the population; and, for a given immigration target, social segregation is decreasing in the time allowed for achieving this target. If the level and pace of immigration are attuned to existing levels of bridging identity, it is possible to sustain, for the long run, social groups that are culturally diverse. This contrasts with Schelling’s models of residential segregation that typically lead to increasing segregation over time.

中文翻译：

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社会多样性和桥接身份

我们在文化传播模型中调查影响人口中社会多样性的政策或冲击如何影响社会凝聚力和隔离。我们发展了“桥接身份”的概念，这是一种个人特质，它 (i) 在文化多元化的社会群体中积极影响效用，但在同质群体中并不重要；(ii) 在文化多元化的社会群体中出生的人身上得到培养，但在出生的人身上没有在同质的群体中。我们表明，中等水平的移民导致人口中更高的桥接身份；并且，对于给定的移民目标，在实现这一目标所允许的时间内，社会隔离正在减少。如果移民的水平和速度与现有的桥接身份水平相协调，从长远来看，有可能维持文化多元化的社会群体。