In a 15-round sumo tournament, a 7-7 record implies that the wrestler has a crucial final bout. If the wrestler wins this bout, they can advance in their ranking. This situation can lead to potential economic incentives, such as higher-ranked wrestlers being bribed to lose a fight, helping the 7-7 wrestler to advance. However, there are also strong moral and social incentives within the sumo community that may influence the outcome.
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Author Steven Levitt, working with journalist Stephen Dubner, shows how economic theories can be used to analyze social issues. Each of the six essays...
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In the world of sumo wrestling, an individual wrestler's ranking determines every aspect of his life. Rankings are determined by the number of wins at bimonthly tournaments. Studies have found that, in a 15-round tournament, an unusually high number of wrestlers with a 7-7 record go on to win in their final bout, enabling them to advance. The author theorizes that economic incentives could be involved, as higher-ranked wrestlers are bribed to throw a fight in favor of a competitor who would otherwise not advance. However, in the tight-knit sumo community, where the stakes for winning or losing are high, there are also strong moral and social incentives for the higher-ranked wrestlers to assist those at risk of falling back in the rankings.