Theories of social dilemmas

Social dilemmas refer to situations where individual interests conflict with collective well-being. Theories surrounding this concept explore how personal choices can lead to negative outcomes for the group. For example, in a scenario where everyone must decide whether to conserve resources, individuals may benefit from exploiting them, but if everyone acts in their self-interest, the resources could be depleted. Prominent theories include the Tragedy of the Commons, which illustrates resource overuse, and Prisoner's Dilemma, highlighting cooperation versus betrayal. These theories help us understand challenges in collaboration and the balance between self-interest and collective action.