Suppose that you and your four roommates decide to get a dog. Unfortunately, you are all fairly selfish with your time; no one takes responsibility for the dog, and no one communicates about the dog's needs. As a result, the dog rarely gets fed, only goes on walks occasionally, and has never once made it to the vet. In short, he is neglected, and he ultimately ends up costing you thousands of dollars in emergency room bills (which could have been avoided had you taken him to the vet early on). Social psychologists would say that the dog is a victim of ____.
A) the commons dilemma
B) overpersonalization
C) the rule of law
D) confirmation bias

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dog is a victim of the commons dilemma, which occurs when a shared resource (in this case, the dog) is used in a way that benefits individuals in the short-term but ultimately harms the group as a whole. Each roommate acted in their own self-interest by not taking responsibility for the dog or communicating with each other, which resulted in the neglect of the dog and ultimately costly emergency room bills.

Suppose That You and Your Four Roommates Decide to Get