~Class 16: Conflict and Cooperation Flashcards
What are Social Dilemmas?
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)
What is a Common Resource Dilemma/Harvesting Dilemma?
Each person can choose how much of a common resource to take, but if everyone takes more than their share, the resource is depleted.
What is a Public Goods Dilemma/Contributions Dilemma?
Each person can choose how much to contribute to a common resource pool (that will not exist unless individuals contribute)
What is the Prisoners Dilemma?
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.
In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the cooperative choice?
Don’t confess
In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the competitive choice?
Confess (Alternate versions where payoffs are money,bonus points, etc.)
Can people be highly motivated to pursue their own best interests, while also caring about benefit to the other person?
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.
Cooperation can be beneficial if ___.
both parties are willing to work together
In the Prisoners Dilemma, what is the strategy that is best for everyone and is most effective in encouraging cooperation?
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.
What are factors that increase cooperation in social dilemmas?
- Tit-for-Tat Strategy
- Small Groups
- Moral Values & Norms
- Reputational Concerns
- Open Communication
What is the Tit-for-Tat Strategy?
Cooperate initially, then match your partner’s choice on each subsequent interaction
Cooperation is lowest in ___, higher in ___, and highest when ___.
large groups // small groups // two individuals interact
Cooperation increases when values are ___ and when a ___ to cooperate is established.
made salient // group norm
When group members can gossip about each others’ choices, cooperation ___ (Reputational Concerns).
increases
When ___ is possible, communication among participants can ___ cooperation.
mutual benefit // increase
The ___ strategy is an effective way of creating optimal outcomes in the long run.
Tit-for-Tat
Higher rates of competition are seen in ___ groups.
large
Creating connected groups that have a sense of ___ is the type of thing that can increase cooperation.
shared identity
In the Trucking Game, what was the outcome of the No Gate condition?
Participants worked out cooperative solutions, and both profited.
In the Trucking Game, what was the outcome of the Gates as a Threat condition?
Both participants lost more $ than when neither side had a gate (retaliation)
In the Trucking Game, communication ___ help because they ___, unless specifically instructed to discuss a fair solution for both parties.
did not // used the intercom to convey threats //
What is Realistic Conflict Theory?
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.
What were the outcomes of the Group Formation stage?
Functional tasks requiring in-group cooperation. Group culture develops.
What were the outcomes of the Intergroup Conflict stage?
Compete for resources. Negative views of outgroup develop; escalating hostility & retaliation
What were the outcomes of the Intergroup Cooperation stage?
Introduction of superordinate goals (e.g., push a stuck supply truck to camp). Cooperation and intergroup harmony restored.
Creating the groups in the Robbers Cave Experiment fostered ___, which can create a sense of ___.
minimal groups // in-group membership
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 ___.
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
In the Group Formation Stage is when the ___ is formed.
social identity
The Intergroup Conflict stage is where we saw the ___ introduced.
conflict
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.
negative views // hostility // conflict
In the ___ stage, in-group cohesion intensified, so having that other that they were competing against seemed to tighten the preexisting group dynamics.
Intergroup Conflict
In the Intergroup Conflict stage, the kids who became most popular and took over the leadership roles were the ones who ___.
were the most aggressive and most hostile toward the outgroup
Researchers induced cooperation in the Intergroup Cooerpation stage by introducing ___.
superordinate goals
What is a superordinate goal?
It’s a situation where you can only accomplish your goal if members of the different groups pool their resources and work together.
What is Common Group Identity?
Conflict reduced when shared identities that encompass both groups are highlighted
What is the GRIT Strategy (Graduated & Reciprocated Initiatives for Tension-reduction)?
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)
What are Integrative Solutions?
Negotiated resolutions involving trade offs based on each party’s individual priorities
Clear communication is key! Priorities are rarely clear to others
What are strategies used for reducing real-world conflicts?
Common Group Identity and the GRIT strategy.
The GRIT strategy is often deployed in situations where ___.
two sides seem to be at a stalemate
What famous experiment was an example of Intergroup Conflict?
The Robbers Cave Experiment by Sherif
