Types of social dilemma
There are several types of social dilemmas, including:
1. Prisoner's Dilemma: In this dilemma, two individuals have the choice to either cooperate or defect. The best outcome for both is to cooperate, but both have an incentive to defect, leading to a suboptimal outcome for both.
2. Tragedy of the Commons: This occurs when a shared resource, such as a common grazing area or fishery, is depleted due to individuals acting in their own self-interest instead of considering the long-term consequences for the group. Everyone benefits from using the resource, but if individuals exploit it excessively, the resource can be depleted and no longer available for anyone.
3. Public Goods Dilemma: People are faced with a decision to either contribute to a public good or free ride, enjoying the benefits without contributing. The problem arises when many individuals choose to free ride, resulting in insufficient contributions to sustain the public good.
4. N-person Social Dilemma: This is an extension of the Prisoner's Dilemma to involve more than two individuals. It becomes more complex as the number of participants increases, and the coordination and cooperation among individuals become more challenging.
5. Stag Hunt Dilemma: This dilemma presents a choice between a cooperative action that requires mutual trust and a riskier individual action with a potential higher payoff. Individuals must weigh the benefits and risks of cooperation versus pursuing individual gains.
6. Volunteer's Dilemma: Individuals face a decision to contribute resources or efforts toward a common goal. The dilemma arises when people are hesitant to contribute, as they perceive that others will contribute enough to achieve the goal without their own contribution, resulting in a free-rider problem.
These dilemmas often involve conflicts between short-term individual interests and long-term collective interests, highlighting the challenges of cooperation and coordination in social situations.