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Download free rain world lush mire6/7/2023 ![]() ![]() We also found a positive relationship between cooperation in these games and climate change beliefs. We then show that those who behaved cooperatively in such small-scale decision tasks were more likely to report engaging in pro-environmental behaviour than individuals who cooperated less. These were people who routinely cooperate with strangers even if that means sacrificing money. Using such micro-scale social dilemma games, we found a general psychological preference for cooperation that we refer to as the “cooperative phenotype” (phenotype being all observable characteristics of an organism). Free-riding pays more if others cooperate, but if everyone does it then cooperation unravels and everyone is worse off. The choice is simple: cooperate in the group interest, which makes one vulnerable to free-riding by others, or maximise one’s self-interest. These games offer monetary rewards, and players must choose between prioritising the common good among a small group of strangers or maximising personal gain. Our study uses a set of behavioural economic games to present social dilemma problems to almost 900 New Zealanders. One psychological mechanism that could explain variation in climate change beliefs and pro-environmental behaviour is a general willingness to cooperate in responding to social dilemmas. But if everyone acts to maximise their own self-interest we get greater pollution and global warming. If other countries reduce while one does not, the latter is better off at the expense of the others. ![]() Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is costly. If one fisherman exceeds the quota while everyone else abides by it, then that individual is better off at the expense of others.īut if it is individually rational for one to exceed the quota, then it is rational for everyone to do so, resulting in the rapid depletion of fish stock. The problem of climate change presents a social dilemma, one which sets up a conflict between cooperating for the common good and acting in one’s individual self-interest.įor instance, if all fishermen abide by fishing quotas, it is good for everyone. We tried to understand the psychological factors behind these differences in our recent study. People’s willingness to believe in climate change varies greatly, as does their willingness to engage in pro-environmental behaviour, such as energy conservation. ![]()
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