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📜intro to political science review

Social Dilemma

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

A social dilemma is a situation in which individual interests conflict with collective interests, leading to suboptimal outcomes for the group as a whole. It arises when people's self-interested choices result in consequences that are detrimental to the larger community or society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Social dilemmas are characterized by a conflict between individual and collective interests, where pursuing self-interest can lead to suboptimal outcomes for the group.
  2. The Tragedy of the Commons is a prime example of a social dilemma, where individuals overexploit a shared resource, ultimately depleting it to the detriment of the entire community.
  3. The Prisoner's Dilemma illustrates how the pursuit of individual self-interest can result in a less desirable outcome for both parties compared to if they had cooperated.
  4. The Free-Rider Problem arises when individuals consume public goods or benefits without contributing their fair share, leading to the underproduction or overuse of those resources.
  5. Resolving social dilemmas often requires mechanisms that align individual and collective interests, such as regulation, incentives, or the establishment of shared norms and institutions.

Review Questions

  • Explain how the Tragedy of the Commons is an example of a social dilemma.
    • The Tragedy of the Commons is a classic example of a social dilemma. In this scenario, individuals, acting in their own self-interest, will overexploit a shared resource, such as a public pasture or fishery, leading to the depletion or degradation of that resource. Even though it is not in the long-term interest of the group, each individual has an incentive to maximize their own use of the resource, ultimately resulting in a suboptimal outcome for the entire community.
  • Analyze how the Prisoner's Dilemma illustrates the tension between individual and collective interests in a social dilemma.
    • The Prisoner's Dilemma demonstrates how the pursuit of individual self-interest can lead to a less desirable outcome for the group as a whole. In this game theory scenario, two individuals are faced with the choice to cooperate or defect. If both individuals cooperate, they will receive a moderate sentence. However, if one individual defects while the other cooperates, the defector will receive a lenient sentence, while the cooperator receives a harsher one. If both individuals defect, they both receive a more severe sentence. This highlights the conflict between individual incentives to defect and the collective interest in mutual cooperation, which is a central feature of social dilemmas.
  • Evaluate the role of institutions and mechanisms in resolving social dilemmas, using the Free-Rider Problem as an example.
    • Resolving social dilemmas often requires the establishment of institutions and mechanisms that align individual and collective interests. The Free-Rider Problem, where individuals consume public goods or benefits without contributing their fair share, is an example of a social dilemma that can be addressed through such means. Potential solutions may include the implementation of regulations, taxation, or incentive structures that discourage free-riding and encourage individuals to contribute their fair share. Additionally, the development of shared norms and social institutions can help foster a sense of collective responsibility and promote cooperation, ultimately resolving the tension between individual and collective interests in social dilemmas.