Commons Dilemma

Factors Promoting Conservation in Commons Dilemmas

Commons dilemma researchers have studied conditions under which groups and communities are likely to under- or overharvest the common resource in both the laboratory and field. Research programs have concentrated on a number of [Page 126]motivational, strategic, and structural factors that might be conducive to commons management.

Motivational Solutions

The research shows that some people are more motivated than others to manage the common resource responsibly. Using the commons dilemma game, researchers found that people with prosocial value orientations harvest less from a resource during a period of scarcity. Prosocial individuals are also more inclined to engage in sustainable environmental behaviors such as taking public transportation (instead of the car) and conserving energy and water, as well as to explain their decisions in terms of environmental impact.

Motivation to conserve a common resource is also promoted by people's group ties. When people identify with their group, they are more likely to exercise personal restraint, as well as to compensate for greedy harvest decisions of ingroup members more than for those of outgroup members. Similarly, in the field strongly knit communities are usually better at managing resource shortages than communities with weak social ties. It might be that group identity promotes a longterm perspective on resource management that makes it easier for people to sacrifice their immediate interest on behalf of their local community. It could also be that group identification increases the social interdependencies between community members so that they care more for the social rewards and punishments of their community. This needs further investigation.

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