HOW UNCERTAINTY STIMULATES OVER-HARVESTING IN A RESOURCE DILEMMA: THREE PROCESS EXPLANATIONS

We report on a series of computer simulation experiments regarding the management of a common resource. We were particularly interested in the effects of uncertainty and satisfaction on the harvesting behaviour of simulated agents. The experimental study of long-term dynamics of threatened resources...

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Vydáno v:Journal of environmental psychology Ročník 22; číslo 3; s. 247 - 263
Hlavní autoři: JAGER, WANDER, JANSSEN, MARCO A., VLEK, CHARLES A.J.
Médium: Journal Article
Jazyk:angličtina
Vydáno: Amsterdam Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.09.2002
Elsevier
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ISSN:0272-4944, 1522-9610
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Shrnutí:We report on a series of computer simulation experiments regarding the management of a common resource. We were particularly interested in the effects of uncertainty and satisfaction on the harvesting behaviour of simulated agents. The experimental study of long-term dynamics of threatened resources can hardly be carried out using human subjects. We therefore experimented with simulated consumers, the so-called consumats, whose properties are derived from a comprehensive, multitheoretical model of consumer behaviour. A consumat is equipped with needs and abilities, and may engage in different cognitive processes, such as deliberation, social comparison, imitation, and repetition of previous behaviour. In a first simulation experiment we show as to how uncertainty may stimulate an imitation effect that promotes over-harvesting. In two subsequent series of experiments, we show that increased uncertainty results in an increased ‘optimism’ of consumats regarding future outcomes, an increased likelihood of imitative behaviour, and a lesser adaptation of harvesting behaviour during resource depletion. These ‘process-effects’ promote higher levels of harvesting from a collective resource. The main experimental conclusions and the issue of validating simulation results are discussed.
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ISSN:0272-4944
1522-9610
DOI:10.1006/jevp.2002.0257