Self Interest versus Collective Interest: the social dilemma
 
تاريخ : اول آبان 1387 ساعت 11:57   کد : 215

Javadi Yeganeh, M. R. & S. Z. Hashemi (2004) "Self Interest versus Collective Interest: the social dilemma (Factors Affecting people's Behavior in Dilemmas" Nameh-ye Olume Ejtemai (Social Science Letter) 26:141-173.




Social dilemma is a situation in which each actor is faced with two choices: defective and cooperative. Defective behavior results in more self interest for the actor. Yet, if a considerable number of actors behave in defective way, each one would sustain greater loss as opposed to the situation if the actors had chosen to behave cooperatively. Theoretical basis of social dilemma analysis consists of two theories: rational choice theory (especially its social version, including social rationality) and game theory.. Factors affecting. behavior in social dilemma situations are: situational factors, personal factors, and action space. This paper uses survey method. The sample consisted of 730 persons aged 15 or more; residing in Tehran. For hypothesis testing, logistic regression was used. The findings show that between 65 to 85% of the respondents behaved cooperatively in social dilemma situations, while between 20 to 40% chose the defective way of behavior. Our hypotheses included Personality factors ( religious tendencies, personality type, or attitude towards social values), Situational factors (belief in efficacy of collective acts, friendly or competitive circumstances dominating over the situation, communication among actors in situation, knowledge of outcomes of defective behavior in social dilemmas, previous experiences' impact), Action space factors ( norms ruling over the action, type of relationship, and type of action situation) Our research hypotheses were confirmed