Tragedy of the Commons: class experiment

And ensure everyone else including yourself does 2 points worse. It is no different than people spending their last few dollars on lottery tickets.

 

In real life, it is always "later in the game."

 

Not true. These are "free" points. I have the grade I deserved by studying and work ethic in the class. I'd be a fool not to risk it if I needed more than two points.

 

Which means you ****ed over the entire class for your own (very small chance of) gain.

 

Not true. They have their true grade already too, anything else is gravy. If they need the points they'll gamble, and if not they'll play it safe.

 

I wonder if the results of this kind of experiment are different across different cultures, particularly East v West.

 

Preventing someone from gaining 2 additional points that they never had, isn't the same taking 2 points away from them. Their situation is unchanged.

 

Whatever you guys say. Zero points awarded for all.

 

That falls in line with my worldview.

 

If I have a 65 and I need five points before getting a D, voting for two points is the same as a zero on my final grade. It would be stupid not too risk it.

 

That is one way to look at it. Another is that everyone is getting two bonus points. They are yours. Now, you can push this button and get four more points, but if ten percent of the class pushes that button, I will take away the two points and any of the four points awarded.

Same results, different way of wording it.

 

Whether some asshat I probably dislike anyways gets two points is irrelevant. I'm looking to max my return. The effect on the faceless drones surrounding me in the classroom matters not. If you are doing your job, you don't need the points in a [dadgum] college course to start with.

 

I wonder if the guy with a 58 is madder at me for "taking away" 2 points or himself for missing out on 42 points.

 

In real life, people depending on the moral compasses of strangers have already lost.

 

If he's upset with missing on 42, he'll ultimately be successful and doesn't concern himself with the exercise because he is self reliant. If he's angry about not getting a communal gift, I hope he likes commodity cheese and soup kitchens.

 

I want 6 points or nothing.

 

I want a professor fired for playing parlor games instead of actually educating.

 

There's the chance for points but they aren't mine they don't belong to me or you. They belong to the teacher. Any points one gains is an undeserved, unearned gift. Any missed out on you weren't entitled to, to begin with.

 

It is a valid psychological phenomenon that he undoubtedly covered while teaching psychology.

 

You and many others. Zero points is not your maximum return, yet that is what you get with this "logic."