We show that status-driven behavior is largely determined by how connected a community is. Using a unique dataset on car purchases in Southern California, we show that social influence intensifies in suburban communities in which neighbors are likely to know each other well. The effect of...

Top sportsmen often refer to competition against other top sportsmen as a motivation to exert more effort. We examine whether a similar pattern exists among another group of top professionals – star analysts. Our evidence suggests that star analysts concentrate their efforts and generate...

We show that the intensity of "keeping up with the Joneses" behavior is largely determined by the extent to which a community is socially connected. Using a unique dataset on car purchases in Southern California, we find that social influence intensifies in suburban communities in which...