Cooperation, Competition,

1
Cooperation, Competition, Conflict

• Cooperation people working together to reach a
  goal
• Competition working toward a goal while denying
  access to that goal to others

2
Causes of Interpersonal Conflict

• Competition for scarce resources
• Revenge
• Selfish or unfriendly motives
• Faulty communication, misperceptions (biases)

3
Interpersonal Conflict

• Social traps what is best for us or what is
  best for the group?
• Enemy perceptions
• Mirror-image perceptions they view us as we
  view them
• Self-fulfilling prophecies our expectations
  unconsciously affect our behavior which lead to
  our expectation coming true

4
Social Dilemma

• Conflict in which the most beneficial action for
  an individual will, if chosen by most people,
  have harmful effects on everyone
• Stephen Kings The Plant ? posted installments
  on the internet
• If at least 75 of people who downloaded paid the
  fee, he would keep writing posting
• If fewer than 75 pay, he would stop writing

5
Prisoners Dilemma

• Scenario Two prisoners accused of crime
  interrogated separately
• Dilemma ? Rat out friend to benefit yourself or
  cooperate (keep silent) to help both of you (even
  though small punishment)

6
YOUR OPTIONS YOUR OPTIONS
PARTNERS OPTIONS Cooperate Compete
Cooperate Both 3 points You 6 points Partner -6 points
Compete You -6 points Partner 6 points Both -1 point
7

• Public goods dilemma individuals must contribute
  to a common pool in order to maintain the public
  good
• i.e. Taxes everyone wants to pay as little as
  possible, but if everyone were to do this the
  public would suffer
• Commons dilemma everyone takes from common pool
  of goods that will replenish itself if used in
  moderation, but will disappear if overused
• Town w/common grazing area for animals if
  everyone lets their sheep graze as much as
  possible, land will be overused

8
Managing Conflict

• Contact (positive) between individuals/groups
• Cooperation
• Super-ordinate goals ? shared goals achieved only
  through cooperation
• Communication
• Third-party mediator
• Conciliation GRIT if one side gives in (even
  slightly), it reduces tension
• If one party apologizes, other group will likely
  reciprocate

9
Sherifs Robbers Cave Study

• 22 fifth-grade boys sent to summer camp in
  Robbers Cave State Park (OK)
• None of the boys knew one another
• Randomly divided boys into two groups
• Phase 1 Did not know other group existed
• Activities
• Chose names for groups (The Eagles, The
  Rattlers)

10

• Phase 2 Series of competitions between groups
  for prizes
• Prejudices began
• In-group v. out-group
• Phase 3 Integration phase
• Get-to-know-you opportunities
• Super-ordinate goals ? Drinking Water Problem,
  Movie Problem