Read the scenario below and answer the question that follows. A small community has many fishermen who each have a small boat. They are told that a large company will begin fishing near their waters. The fishermen worry that there will not be enough fish for each of them to catch. The fishermen generally don’t communicate well. Based on your knowledge of social traps, what is the most likely outcome of the above scenario?
Answer
A
The fishermen will begin to fish more often, depleting the local fish supply.
B
The fishermen will petition the large company to fish elsewhere.
C
The fishermen will cooperate together to avoid over fishing the area.
D
The fishermen will ignore the large company and not adjust their practices.
Explanation
Fish in the shared waters are a limited resource, so each fisherman may try to catch more before others do. Because the fishermen do not communicate well, they are less likely to coordinate limits or protect the fish supply. This is a social trap: individually motivated choices can harm the whole group, making it most likely that fishing increases and the local supply is depleted.
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