PSYCH253 Chapter Notes - Chapter A: Social Trap, Equity Theory
24 Nov 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Conflict: a perceived incompatibility of actions or goals. Whenever two people, two groups, or two nations interact, their perceived needs and goals may conflict. Many social problems arise as people pursue individual self-interest, to their collective detriment (individua vs. communal well-being) Social trap: a situation in which the conflicting parties, by rationally pursuing their own self- interest, become caught in mutually destructive behaviour the prisoners" dilemma and the tragedy of the commons. The prisoners" dilemma and the tragedy of the commons" shared features: Both temp people to explain their own behaviour situationally. Are non-zero-sum games games in which outcomes need not sum to zero; with cooperation, both can win; with competition, both can lose. In real life, we can avoid such traps by establishing rules that regulate self-serving behaviour, by keeping social groups small so people feel responsibility for one another, and by invoking altruistic norms. Conflicts also arise when people feel unjustly treated.
