8.3:

8.3: Trappole sociali

JoVE Core
Social Psychology

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JoVE Core Social Psychology

Social Traps

8.4: Aggression

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01:41 min

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February 12, 2020

Overview

Social traps are negative situations where people get caught in a direction or relationship that later proves to be unpleasant, with no easy way to back out of or avoid. The concept was orignally introduced by John Platt who applied psychology to Garrett Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons", where in New England herd owners could let their cattle graze in the common ground. This situation seems like a good idea, but an individual could have an advantage. If they owned more cows, the larger herds would deplete the grass, and excessive herds and overgrazing can destroy the field and result in a collective loss for everyone (Hardin, 1968). Platt recognized that people who operated on short-term gains had a tendency to exploit resouirces, which led to long-term losses for society.

Applications

In addition to congested highways, you might know someone who's purchased a gas-guzzler when the price of gas became low due to high supply. What happens when more people do the same, fueling their vehicles with more gas, which in turn depletes the supply? The same pattern can be found in the way people think about environmental contamination. For instance, one farmer uses pesticides to get rid of a few pests. He thinks no one will even notice, but then his neighbors do the same thing, and over time, they collectively cause damage to the town's water supply.

Transcript

Quando un individuo fa qualcosa, come lasciare il lavoro alle 5 del mattino, può pensare che la sua azione sia innocua: vuole semplicemente tornare a casa il prima possibile.

Tuttavia, se tutti hanno un approccio identico e se ne vanno convenientemente nello stesso momento, il danno collettivo è fatto perché le risorse sono limitate: ora c’è un ingorgo a causa della condivisione di strade insufficienti!

Questo esempio è una trappola sociale collettiva, una situazione in cui un gruppo di persone agisce per ottenere guadagni individuali a breve termine che, a lungo termine, possono portare a effetti indesiderati per il gruppo nel suo insieme.

Poiché molti conducenti continuano a perseguire i propri interessi, come pensare che il divario significhi che una corsia si muove molto più velocemente di un’altra, tali percorsi possono alimentare il conflitto sociale, una percepita incompatibilità di azioni, obiettivi o idee.

Con una tale congestione, tutti arriveranno in ritardo a casa. Ora, deve aspettare ancora di più! In questo caso, è così coinvolto nel processo – impreca e si lamenta – e l’ultimo pensiero nella sua mente è il rispetto e l’equità per tutti i pendolari.

Mentre le trappole sociali sono difficili da smantellare, una possibile soluzione è quella di implementare tattiche e politiche per migliorare le situazioni, come spostare gli orari per produrre orari di partenza scaglionati o, in caso di carpooling, pagare pedaggi ridotti.

Alla fine, risolvere le trappole esposte e non cadere prede è importante per evitare esiti sfavorevoli che potrebbero non essere evidenti all’inizio.

Key Terms and definitions

Social Trap – A situation where immediate rewards lead to long-term collective negative consequences.
Short-term Gain – Benefits received swiftly that could lead to long-term harm.
Superordinate Goals – Shared objectives that necessitate cooperative efforts.
Environmental Contamination – Damage to environmental resources due to human activities.
Conflict Trap – A situation where conflict leads to conditions that perpetuate further conflict.

Learning Objectives

Define Social Trap – Explain its implications in psychology and societal contexts (e.g., social traps definition psychology).
Contrast Short-term Gains vs. Long-term Consequences – Discuss the impact of social traps (e.g., short-term gains).
Explore Examples of Social Traps – Describe real-world scenarios (e.g., environment contamination).
Explain the Conflict Trap – Discuss the cycle that fuels further conflict.
Apply Strategies to Avoid Social Traps – Discuss psychological methods to evade these situations.

Questions that this video will help you answer

What is a social trap and how does it create long-term harm?
What are some real-world examples of social traps?
How can conflict traps be seen as a form of social trap?

This video is also useful for

Students – Understand how the concept of social traps contributes to their comprehension of psychology and human behavior.
Educators – Provides a clear framework that aids in teaching topics on social psychology.
Researchers – The study of social traps offers significant insights for social and environmental studies.
Psychologists – Offers a deeper understanding of human behavior and collective decision-making processes.

Tags

Trappole Sociali Danno Collettivo Risorse Limitate Ingorgo Stradale Guadagni Individuali A Breve Termine Effetti Indesiderati Trappola Sociale Collettiva Conflitto Sociale Congestione Arrivo in Ritardo Rispetto Ed Equità Tattiche E Politiche Orari Di Partenza Scaglionati Carpooling Pedaggi Ridotti Risoluzione Delle Trappole Esiti Sfavorevoli