A dynamic semester-long social dilemma game for economic and interdisciplinary courses. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Secchi, Silvia; Banerjee, Simanti
• Is Part Of: Journal of economic education. Volume 50:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 85
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: classroom game -- common pool resources -- economic education -- fisheries -- interdisciplinary environmental policy -- renewable resource management; A22 -- Q23 -- Q57; Economics -- Study and teaching -- United States -- Periodicals; 330.071
• DOI: 10.1080/00220485.2018.1551097
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0485

Abstract

Abstract: The authors present a semester-long game to teach the role of economics in natural resources management. The game is framed within a fisheries context: multiple student fisheries harvest fish to maximize yield/profit, which is measured using a piecewise linear function. There are prizes for both the student and the group with the highest semester-long catch, which brings forth the social dilemma associated with dynamic stock externalities in fisheries. The game can be played in large classes, is robust to student attrition, and requires 5–10 minutes per class period. Given its features, it can be used to teach behavioral economic principles in resource management, incentives versus command-and-control regulations, role of cheap talk, social preferences, punishment, and community management as well as solutions such as aquaculture.