The Tragedy of the Commons.
One professors final exam went viral after Shahin Rafikian, a rising junior at the University of Maryland, shared itsextra credit question on Twitter:
The evil genius behind thetwisted question?Dr. Dylan Selterman.
I first learned about this when I was in a college, Selterman, who attended Johns Hopkins University, says. My professor, Steve Drigotas , used this exercise with my class.
Selterman saysthe exercise was originallypublished in a psychology journal 25 years ago and has since been adapted by a number of his colleagues. He says its intended to illustrate the tragedy of the commons .
[The tragedy of the commons is] basically a dilemma between doing whats good for you as an individual versus doing whats best for the group, he explains. Now it stands to reason that people behave selfishly. But if too many people behave selfishly, the group will suffer and then everyone in the group individually will suffer.
Selterman says only one class hisfall 2011 group has received the extra credit since he first implementedthe exercise in 2008.But he speculates itmay have merely been a fluke.
In behavioral science, nothing is ever 100%, he says.
Selterman says that he believes most students select the six-point option by wayof a go big or go home mentality. Others, he says, may do it out of fear of being slighted.
The University of Maryland hosted a TEDx event in the CP Marriott Hotel Conference Center on May 3, 2014 (Photo courtesy of Dr. Dylan Selterman)
Youre trying to anticipate what other people are doing, he says. If other people get six points, they want six points, too. They want to be among those who score the highest.
And, as Selterman adds, this need to maximize personal gain transcends the world of academia.
The extra credit question is analogous to any public resource in the world that we would all use like food or water or land, he says. Again, if people are mindful of their own consumption, then its fine, but if too many people are selfish, then we have now like in California water shortages.
Reflecting on the exercise, Rafikian who chose the two-point option told the Baltimore Sun , I was first upset because I was thinking, I know theres going to be some selfish kids in the class, but I am still hoping that everyone was choosing two points.
Rafikian, whosetweethas since been sharedmore than 6,000 times, sayshe was shocked to discoverthat he was an outlier in the exercise.
In the past two days, it has turned into a huge philosophical decision-making process among so many people, he says. Before it blew up on Twitter, I was thinking people would just choose two points. A lot of those responses are surprisingly telling me, choose six points.'
ButSelterman says he was unsurprised by the results, adding that he hopes his students at leastwalk away from his course with a sense of mindfulness.
I wish that students took from this the idea that their actions affect others and vice versa and, going forward, whenever they work in groups or whenever they interact with others in their community, that they carefully consider these things, these mechanisms and that they work together constructively with others, Seltermansays. I would hope that any student who chose six points would, in the future, think twice about the selfish option and think about whats best for the group and by extension whats best for them.
http://college.usatoday.com/2015/07/17/psychology-professors-tricky-extra-credit-question-goes-viral/
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The motivation for decision making - the greater good or what is the best for the individual making the decision.
Politicians and special interest groups are accused of this all the time, but it looks like it is a common societal trait.
How would you answer the question, not in retrospect but while taking the exam?
Cerenkov
I had no run across this and found it quite interesting and telling
Thanks for the perspective and feedback
A good enough reason in tis situation
I'm thinking that the major area that the Law of the Commons applies to today could be water usage in drought stricken regions .
Apparently you are equating "extra credit" with govt handouts ... an interesting connection .
Well , maybe you aren't but now I am making that connection . Whatever is going on in your head has rubbed off on me !
You are not sorry ... don't hand me that line of bull ! BTW I'm not sorry either ...
I mentally choose 2 points before reading the balance of the article.Logically I'd have prepared for the final paper and extra credit would be just that andnotneed forgood grade. Knowing others may struggle through their paper, it'd give all of us a grade boost.
Was raised in a greater good environment, which would in the long run prove best for the individual
Sounds like socialism to me ... (;~ P
Sounds like socialism to me
Of course it does Petey....its me the bleeding heart liberal! I don't understand the all about me mentality, just not part of whoI am.
Politically I vote vetting the candidate I think is best for the country, not best for me and my personal interests. Since my family extends from 6 months to 78 years old, I consider policies that will impact their existing and future lives and theimpact of mine as well. Doesn't everyone?
So, say in a class of 20 people, everybody agrees to choose two points until the last student is left, and he or she picks six.
Applauding the thought process, awesome solution providing a guaranteed big win-win.
Petey
Excellent point, I have a feeling you may be right
An outlook shared by many people, but IMHO in order for the statement to be really correct you would need to make a slight change. If I might - In life, thereshould beno "extra credit", just merit and personal performance.
As to your second point
I tend to agree and also see a significant number of people who take the "need for extra credit" and help with them into life after school.
Lynne
Thanks for the feedback
Sounds like you were also raised to work hard and earn your own good grades and achievements
rougy
That would negate the experiment, but like any other system it can be rigged by those with inside information.
Lynne
I applaud you and make my voting choices the same way
Imagine if everyone discarded party and voted for the best qualified person for each job
I can understand that
Well, I'm a putz. I can see me thinking, What kind of BS question is this? And leaving it blank. Nobody is going to get any extra credit anyway. Leave it blank.
Dowser
A good approach, especially if you were prepared for and did well on the test anyway.
And if not, it's too late, anyway...
So true - been there as well!