Avoiding the Tragedy of the Commons: Shaping Children’s Sustainable Behavior in a Digital Game

Abstract

Common-pool resources (CPR) are shared by multiple individuals. Many natural or manmade CPRs are limited: maximization of their use for individual gain may bring negative consequences for all users. The current study simulated CPR management by children, with a digital game. The player extracted fish (CPR) using three types of cards varying in extraction power. Fishing returned points needed to remain “alive” in the game. In a baseline with unlimited and unshared resources, children used predominantly the most powerful card, with shorter interresponse time between successive fishing responses. An intervention phase followed, when resources were limited and shared with virtual players. A vertical bar signaled the number of fish, which decreased with extraction and increased periodically to simulate fish reproduction. With continued experience in the game, five of six children succeeded in moderating the extraction rhythm, earning enough points to stay “alive” in the game and avoiding CPR exhaustion. Their strategies combined decreasing the use of the most powerful card and increasing the frequency of longer IRTs, which allowed for regeneration of resources. Continued exposure to the contingencies shaped a more sustainable behavior. For most natural resources, however, it is not possible to shape sustainable extraction by repeated exposure to negative consequences, because resources may be permanently exhausted. The simulation of CPR management by children may, however, reveal variables and processes involved in sustainable behavior and may also be a valuable educational tool to teach sustainable behavior and the dangers of irresponsible use of CPR.

Appendix

Instructions to the Participants

Instructions in the Tutorial

First, the experimenter said:

“We are going to start the tutorial which is for you to learn how to play. I'll stay here with you to teach you, but afterwards you'll play by yourself, okay?"

After giving the first instruction, the experimenter presented elements and context of the game to the child: “This is a fishing game. You're at the bottom of the sea and there's always fish coming from here [indicated the whirlpool on the upper-left corner; see Fig. 1] and they'll try to get here [indicated the bottom-right whirlpool; see Fig. 1], but I'll explain to you the way to avoid their escape.” The experimenter added:

“During the 30 seconds or a round, you must prevent your fish from escaping. Look at this clock here [pointed to the clock], you have a bar that indicates the time passing, but when the end is approaching, a clock will appear in the middle of the screen to notify you when there are 5 seconds left to end the round. Your fish cannot escape through the whirlpool three times, if that happens, you lose the round! To catch fish, you must use cards that come out when you touch these buttons with your fingertip. Each button has a value, see? This one is worth one, this is three and this is five [the experimenter points to each of the card buttons]. These are the prices to buy the cards that appear when you tap the button.”

The experimenter then gave additional instructions:

“Now I am going to give you some important tips. Look at these three hearts and always keep at least one of them to stay alive in the game. For every fish that runs away, you lose a heart. How do fish escape in the game? They enter the whirlpool, do you remember? So, if three of them escape, you will lose all three hearts and lose the game. Let's play for you to get the hang of it, okay? I will stay here if you have any questions. But do not worry, because now it is time for you to learn how to play; if you lose now, no problem, so let's go!"

Then the player was asked to tap the button to start the game and was told to tap any button on the panel to produce a card on the screen. In the first two rounds, only slower targets were presented; later the fish presentation schedule was identical to that described in the procedure section. The child had to move, with the finger, the card presented on the screen, to reach the fish, and received hints from the experimenter to have a more adequate response topography. They were asked to carry the card towards the target until they captured it. Once the fish was caught and the number of points presented, the experimenter paused the game and made the following comment:

“Cool! You have noticed that the fish has a health bar, haven't you? [waited for the child to respond]. So, you need to collect money [points] that you get when you catch the fish, because you always need money to buy the cards. You will always see what you have earned when the fish's health bar runs out and you catch it! For now, you must use other cards to see how much money will come back. Take a good look at how much you earn and what happens to the fish's life.”

The player was presented with the counter on the fish bucket, which displayed the total number of points accumulated. Likewise, the child was instructed to pay attention to the bucket, to avoid having less than 20 total points, as they could run out of money (points) to buy cards. At this point the experimenter also instructed the child to avoid buying only the less powerful cards. This instruction was important, as described in the Method, because children would lose the game if they bought only the less powerful cards.

Experimenter Verbal Instructions During Baseline

“Now, you are going to play by yourself. When you win 10 consecutive rounds, you will be the winner, the game will tell you the victory and everything in the game will pause, then you can call me, I will be in the next room. If you have any problem in the game or with you, can you call me also, please? Good luck!”

Experimenter Verbal Instructions During Intervention

“You will have another challenge, so look at these submarines! What do you think they are going to do in the rounds? [waited for the child to respond].”

If the child replied the function of submarines correctly:

“Yep! They do that! You are right. These submarines will try to collect the same fish as you, all the time. There is something important for you to know: they share the same amount of fish.”

If the child replied the function of submarines incorrectly:

“No! They will try to collect the same fish as you, all the time, because they will share with you the same amount of fish, which is important.”

Then, the experimenter gave additional instructions:

“Why do you share the same amount of fish? And why this is important? Look at this bar [pointed to the green bar]. This bar represents the life of all fish. It is from here where newborns spawn; if the bar goes out… You will lose the round and need to start again from the first round. It is your job to figure out how not lose the rounds. I can give you two tips: Stay tuned to the bar level because it will raise from time by time. And a reddish tone will appear when the situation is critical, in other words, when you have almost nothing left in the green bar and is about to run out of fish. I wish you good luck. I am leaving the room, and when I close the door, please, start the game by touching the button: start match. Call me in the next room when you lose or win the game. Before I go, do you have any questions?”

Experimenter verbal instructions at return to baseline

“Good news, player! After your efforts in the game, you have to play the easier phase again, do you remember? There will no longer be submarines and the green bar won´t appear. You again need to win 10 consecutive rounds.”