The
Dynamics of Social Dilemmas
Natalie S. Glance and Bernardo A. Huberman
Scientific American
March 1994, Vol. 270, No. 3, pp 76-81
The application of analytical techniques and computer simulations to group dynamics has
disclosed what boundary constraints must obtain if
cooperation is to be possible in a group. As well, they have disclosed how cooperation or selfish behavior emerges from the group dynamics.
As
concerns the boundary constraints bearing on the emergence of cooperation, these have to do with the size of the group; the temporal horizon of the members of the group; and the amount of information available to them. More precisely, the group cannot exceed a certain critical size if cooperation is to be possible in the group. That group size is determined by the temporal horizon of the group members as regards continued membership in the group (the longer, the better for the prospect of emergent cooperation) as well as by the amount of information available to the group members.
As concerns the manner of emergence or breakdown of cooperation in a group, it has been disclosed that transitions to either state might take a very long time, indeed. However, when the transitions do occur, they occur very fast.
The studies suggest that if one wishes to shorten the time of transition to
cooperative behavior as concerns some new organizing principle, then it is best that large
groups be broken into smaller groups that may serve as nuclei of change. Within these nuclei are to be dispersed catalytic individuals that have shown prior inclination to cooperate. These individuals are to be reinforced in their perturbing actions towards cooperative behavior by being accorded benefits. Also helpful to precipitating cooperative behavior, surprisingly enough but fortunately so for real-world situations, is the presence of significant diversity within the groups
More summaries about the The Dynamics of Social Dilemmas