The Commons Game: A Lesson in Resources Management

The Commons Game was developed to demonstrate behavioral patterns involved in individual decision-making regarding commons property and it has been used in various psychology courses. In this study the game was used to teach university students the complexities and frustrations of managing commons p...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kirts, Carla A., Tumeo, Mark A.
Other Authors: ALASKA UNIV FAIRBANKS
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1992
Subjects:
Economics and Cost Analysis
Administration and Management
Operations Research
Psychology
*DECISION MAKING
*NATURAL RESOURCES
EDUCATION
INSTRUCTIONS
LECTURES
MANAGEMENT
PATTERNS
POPULATION
RESOURCES
STUDENTS
TOOLS
UNIVERSITIES
SYMPOSIA
ARCTIC REGIONS
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Component Reports
*Commons game
Commons property
Arctic
Fairbanks
Alaska
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADP007327
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADP007327
Description
Summary:The Commons Game was developed to demonstrate behavioral patterns involved in individual decision-making regarding commons property and it has been used in various psychology courses. In this study the game was used to teach university students the complexities and frustrations of managing commons property natural resources. More specifically the purpose of the study was twofold: to determine the extent to which the game, when used in a natural resources management context, meets the teaching objectives of the game as specified by the game's developer; and to determine whether the game is an effective teaching tool. The sample population was composed of 36 students enrolled in ALR/EQS 193 during the Spring 1989, Fall 1989, and Spring 1990 semesters. The team-taught course contains three elements: an introductory lecture, the game, and a postgame analysis session. Data were obtained from students' opinions of instruction, content analyses of students' three- to five-page essays, and observations recorded during the postgame analysis/discussion session. A brief description of the game is included in the paper, but details are intentionally omitted because the game is copy-righted. This article is from 'Proceedings of the International Conference on the Role of the Polar Regions in Global Change Held in Fairbanks, Alaska on 11-15 June 990. Volume 2', AD-A253 028, p470-474. See also Volume 1, AD-A253 027.

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