~Class 16: Conflict and Cooperation

Question 1

What are Social Dilemmas?

Answer 1

Social Dilemmas are situations where—if all individuals make self-interested choices, everyone’s outcomes are worse.

What’s best for the individual is not what’s best for the group (and vice versa)

Question 2

What is a Common Resource Dilemma/Harvesting Dilemma?

Answer 2

Each person can choose how much of a common resource to take, but if everyone takes more than their share, the resource is depleted.

Question 3

What is a Public Goods Dilemma/Contributions Dilemma?

Answer 3

Each person can choose how much to contribute to a common resource pool (that will not exist unless individuals contribute)

Question 4

What is the Prisoners Dilemma?

Answer 4

The prisoner’s dilemma is the situation where each person gets to make a choice as to whether to behave competitively, so in a way that like competes against their partner, or a way that behaves more cooperatively, so they work in concert with the other person to get the best outcome for both of them.

In the classic version of the prisoner’s dilemma, you’re often not able to communicate with your partner directly, so there’s a degree of trust or mistrust that goes into you making the decision that you want to pursue.

The way that the prisoner’s dilemma is set up is that it’s always in the individual’s best interest to behave competitively, so their best outcome as an individual will happen if they compete.

Question 5

In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the cooperative choice?

Answer 5

Don’t confess

Question 6

In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the competitive choice?

Answer 6

Confess (Alternate versions where payoffs are money,bonus points, etc.)

Question 7

Can people be highly motivated to pursue their own best interests, while also caring about benefit to the other person?

Answer 7

Yes, you can be high in both concern for yourself and concern for others. What that often creates is a situation where people are problem solvers and negotiators, where they look for ways to do well for themselves without fully throwing the other person under the bus.

Question 8

Cooperation can be beneficial if ___.

Answer 8

both parties are willing to work together

Question 9

In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the strategy that is best for everyone and is most effective in encouraging cooperation?

Answer 9

Starting out with a cooperative move is an effective way to go about it, but to avoid being a sucker and getting steamrolled, the follow up strategy to that is to match whatever your partner does on subsequent trials.

Question 10

What are factors that increase cooperation in social dilemmas?

Answer 10

• Tit-for-Tat Strategy
• Small Groups
• Moral Values & Norms
• Reputational Concerns
• Open Communication

Question 11

What is the Tit-for-Tat Strategy?

Answer 11

Cooperate initially, then match your partner’s choice on each subsequent interaction

Question 12

Cooperation is lowest in ___, higher in ___, and highest when ___.

Answer 12

large groups // small groups // two individuals interact

Question 13

Cooperation increases when values are ___ and when a ___ to cooperate is established.

Answer 13

made salient // group norm

Question 14

When group members can gossip about each others’ choices, cooperation ___ (Reputational Concerns).

Answer 14

increases

Question 15

When ___ is possible, communication among participants can ___ cooperation.

Answer 15

mutual benefit // increase

Question 16

The ___ strategy is an effective way of creating optimal outcomes in the long run.

Answer 16

Tit-for-Tat

Question 17

Higher rates of competition are seen in ___ groups.

Answer 17

large

Question 18

Creating connected groups that have a sense of ___ is the type of thing that can increase cooperation.

Answer 18

shared identity

Question 19

In the Trucking Game, what was the outcome of the No Gate condition?

Answer 19

Participants worked out cooperative solutions, and both profited.

Question 20

In the Trucking Game, what was the outcome of the Gates as a Threat condition?

Answer 20

Both participants lost more $ than when neither side had a gate (retaliation)

Question 21

In the Trucking Game, communication ___ help because they ___, unless specifically instructed to discuss a fair solution for both parties.

Answer 21

did not // used the intercom to convey threats //

Question 22

What is Realistic Conflict Theory?

Answer 22

Conflict arises when we perceive ourselves to be in competition with another group for scarce resources, and our self-interested motives to compete for resources.

Question 23

What were the outcomes of the Group Formation stage?

Answer 23

Functional tasks requiring in-group cooperation. Group culture develops.

Question 24

What were the outcomes of the Intergroup Conflict stage?

Answer 24

Compete for resources. Negative views of outgroup develop; escalating hostility & retaliation

Question 25

What were the outcomes of the Intergroup Cooperation stage?

Answer 25

Introduction of superordinate goals (e.g., push a stuck supply truck to camp). Cooperation and intergroup harmony restored.

Question 26

Creating the groups in the Robbers Cave Experiment fostered ___, which can create a sense of ___.

Answer 26

minimal groups // in-group membership

Question 27

In the Group Formation stage, the kids who were most popular and who emerged as the leaders of each individual team during this early period were the ones who ___.

Answer 27

made the best and most productive suggestions for how to accomplish a goal, who suggested the ideas that the rest of the group agreed to

Question 28

In the Group Formation Stage is when the ___ is formed.

Answer 28

social identity

Question 29

The Intergroup Conflict stage is where we saw the ___ introduced.

Answer 29

conflict

Question 30

The Intergroup Conflict stage is where we saw members of each team developing ___ of members of the outgroup, and increasing levels of ___ and ___ between them.

Answer 30

negative views // hostility // conflict

Question 31

In the ___ stage, in-group cohesion intensified, so having that other that they were competing against seemed to tighten the preexisting group dynamics.

Answer 31

Intergroup Conflict

Question 32

In the Intergroup Conflict stage, the kids who became most popular and took over the leadership roles were the ones who ___.

Answer 32

were the most aggressive and most hostile toward the outgroup

Question 33

Researchers induced cooperation in the Intergroup Cooerpation stage by introducing ___.

Answer 33

superordinate goals

Question 34

What is a superordinate goal?

Answer 34

It’s a situation where you can only accomplish your goal if members of the different groups pool their resources and work together.

Question 35

What is Common Group Identity?

Answer 35

Conflict reduced when shared identities that encompass both groups are highlighted

Question 36

What is the GRIT Strategy (Graduated & Reciprocated Initiatives for Tension-reduction)?

Answer 36

Unilateral efforts are made to establish trust/cooperation

Announce intent to reduce conflict; invite reciprocation; follow through

Match the other group’s actions thereafter (reciprocate/retaliate in kind)

Question 37

What are Integrative Solutions?

Answer 37

Negotiated resolutions involving trade offs based on each party’s individual priorities

Clear communication is key! Priorities are rarely clear to others

Question 38

What are strategies used for reducing real-world conflicts?

Answer 38

Common Group Identity and the GRIT strategy.

Question 39

The GRIT strategy is often deployed in situations where ___.

Answer 39

two sides seem to be at a stalemate

Question 40

What famous experiment was an example of Intergroup Conflict?

Answer 40

The Robbers Cave Experiment by Sherif