Litter may not be the most pressing problem facing our society, but many people still wish that our streets and parks had less trash strewn about. However, it is difficult to convince people to clean these public areas, a problem that sociologists would call:
A) a public goods dilemma.
B) the tragedy of the commons.
C) resource mobilization theory.
D) community policing.
E) an emergent social movement.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A public goods dilemma occurs when a group of individuals share a common resource or public good, but there is no incentive for any individual to contribute to the maintenance or improvement of that resource. In the case of litter, no individual necessarily benefits from cleaning up public areas, and so there is a collective action problem that prevents individuals from taking action. Therefore, the best answer is A) a public goods dilemma.

Litter May Not Be the Most Pressing Problem Facing Our