(Oregon Research Institute, 1973-12) Dawes, Robyn M.; Delay, Jack; Chaplin, William
One way of studying the pollution problem is to examine the decision making process in situations in which gain accrues directly to an individual while loss is spread out across the group of which the individual is a member. Such a situation has been termed a commons dilemma by Lloyd in 1833; it is a variant of the well known prisoner's dilemma. The mathematical model of rational decision making when facing the commons dilemma implies the dismal conclusion that individuals acting rationally will end up destroying, or nearly destroying, the common wealth. Suggestions are made concerning ways in which people may be persuaded not to pollute our environment.
