Pentland theorized that someone’s position in the network—his or her social standing—was the primary motivator. In his calculation, people act to make their social fabric stronger, not necessarily just to earn a bit of money. “I give you a favor. Maybe in the future you’ll give me a favor. That’s what drove this thing,” he said. “That’s a very different way of thinking about things. Instead of paying attention to individuals, you pay attention to relationships.”
