Social Traps Flashcards
16 Questions
100 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is a Social Trap?

  • A method of improving resources uniformly
  • A law preventing harm to society
  • A trap that only affects a single individual
  • A situation where a good choice today is bad for society later (correct)

    • Define a Collective Trap.

    A situation where individuals think their small negative effects on resources won't matter, but collectively they result in significant problems.

    What is an Externality Trap?

    A situation where a person's action has negative effects on others, but the individual decides to proceed because they do not feel the consequences directly.

    What is the Sliding Reinforcer Trap?

    <p>A situation where an individual initially benefits from an action but experiences diminishing returns each time, eventually leading to overwhelmingly negative consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Describe a Time Delay Trap.

    <p>A scenario where an individual chooses actions they believe will have negative long-term effects on themselves or society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Education can help avoid social traps.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one pro of using Rules/Laws to avoid social traps?

    <p>People will follow the law or face consequences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a drawback of paying up front to avoid social traps?

    <p>It is difficult to assess long-term societal costs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'Technological Fix' refer to?

    <p>The belief that human ingenuity and science will solve problems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Rosy Optimism?

    <p>The belief that everything will work out in the end, often accompanied by ignoring problems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Define Gloom and Doom.

    <p>An attitude expressing hopelessness, where individuals feel powerless to change situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Frontier Attitude imply?

    <p>Nature provides endless solutions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the principle behind Sustainability?

    <p>Living within one's means and not using resources faster than they can be produced.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Anthropocentrism center around?

    <p>The belief that humans are the central focus and resources exist to meet human needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Biocentrism?

    <p>The belief that all life forms have a right to exist and deserve protection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Define Ecocentrism.

    <p>A perspective that values ecosystems and emphasizes their importance as a whole.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Social Traps Overview

    • Social traps involve choices that may seem beneficial in the short term but lead to negative consequences for society in the long term.

    Types of Social Traps

    • Collective Trap: Individual actions perceived as negligible can accumulate, resulting in significant negative impacts when many contribute.
    • Externality Trap: Individuals justify harmful actions because the adverse effects do not directly impact them, often affecting others, including future generations.
    • Sliding Reinforcer Trap: Initial benefits from an action may diminish with repetition, leading to escalating costs that eventually outweigh benefits.
    • Time Delay Trap: Immediate actions are taken despite potential future harms to oneself or society, emphasizing a lack of foresight.

    Strategies to Avoid Social Traps

    • Education: Informing individuals about long-term consequences can enhance cooperation to avoid social traps; however, not everyone may comply.
    • Rules/Laws: Establishing regulations can deter harmful behavior, though enforcement can be challenging due to potential law-breaking.
    • Pay Up Front: Charging individuals for long-term societal costs upfront encourages responsible choices, but assessing costs accurately is challenging, and compliance is necessary.

    Attitudes and Their Impacts

    • Technological Fix: A belief that human innovation and science will solve impending issues, potentially leading to complacency.
    • Rosy Optimism: An attitude of assurance that everything will resolve favorably, which can result in ignoring pressing problems.
    • Gloom and Doom: A defeatist outlook that leads individuals to feel powerless in combating problems, fostering a sense of futility.
    • Frontier Attitude: The perspective that resources are inexhaustible and solutions will emerge naturally, downplaying sustainability concerns.

    Solutions and Ethical Frameworks

    • Sustainability: Advocates for living within ecological limits, avoiding the depletion of resources faster than they can regenerate.
    • Anthropocentrism: A human-centered viewpoint prioritizing human needs and desires over other life forms and ecosystems.
    • Biocentrism: A life-centered philosophy recognizing the intrinsic right to exist for all species, promoting their protection.
    • Ecocentrism: Emphasizes the value of ecosystems as a whole, prioritizing the health and functioning of ecological systems over individual components.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    Explore the concept of social traps through flashcards that illustrate key definitions and examples. Learn how individual choices can lead to collective negative outcomes and the implications for society. This quiz aims to enhance your understanding of these critical social phenomena.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser