Focal Point

Focal Point

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

An option that stands out so that people who want to match each other converge on it without discussion.

What it is

Thomas Schelling introduced the idea in 1960: when many answers would do, people who want to match each other pick the one that stands out by custom, symmetry or prominence. Andrew Colman's 1997 review explains why people choose salient options in pure coordination games, where all players share the same preferences, and notes that focal points are often found by intuition.

In effect

In the article on why Singles’ Day works, a memorable date serves as a focal point: a day that buyers and sellers can each expect the other to pick without any agreement.

What it does not say

It explains how people coordinate when they share an aim. It does not say that the option that stands out is the best one, or that salience alone makes anyone buy.

Sources

  1. Colman, A. M. (1997). Salience and focusing in pure coordination games. Journal of Economic Methodology, 4(1), 61-81.
  2. Schelling, T. C. The Strategy of Conflict.