Social networks and cognition in commons dilemmas : a field survey of Pacific salmon fishers and a laboratory simulation of a commons dilemma
Date
1988
Authors
Tindall, D. B.
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Abstract
Commons dilemmas arise from the conflict between acting in one 's own self interest and acting in the interest of a larger group - in relation to a shared limited resource (e.g., water, air, trees, space, the pool of "financial resources" in collective bargaining for wages, etc .). The "Commons Dilemma " is a central problem that cuts a theoretical swath through the social sciences, as well as a number of other disciplines. This thesis involves examining commons dilemmas from a social psychological perspective.
It examines data collected from two exploratory studies of the commons dilemma : 1) a field-survey of Westcoast salmon fishery participants; and 2) a laboratory study of university undergraduates engaged in a computer simulation of "fishing " from a shared "pool". An important theme running through the two studies is the interrelation between social network processes, cognition, and behavior in commons dilemmas. Social networks influence their members' attitudes, interests and ultimately, their behavior. Findings from the field-study suggest that among members of the sample belonging to a fishery-related social network makes salmon fishers more keenly aware of the limits of the resource, and can lead to cooperative behavior, and the adoption of positive resource management strategies in certain situations. Findings from the laboratory computer simulation suggest that whether people think of themselves more as individuals or as group members correlates with a number of attitudinal variables, and influences their harvesting behavior.
From these findings, it is argued that social network analysis might be a useful research application for future inquiry into the problem of the commons, especially when approaching it from a social psychological perspective. Further, it is proposed that one strategy for attempting to solve commons dilemmas is to make use of group processes as a conduit for transmitting both information about such dilemmas, and social values that might help to protect shared limited resources.