The use of common resource in a digital game: exploring punishment contingencies in extraction responses

• Grant number: 23/16500-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date until: April 01, 2024
• End date until: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Experimental Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Helena Leite Hunziker
• Grantee: Marlon Alexandre de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Common Pool Resources (CPR) are shared by multiple individuals and, as they are often natural and renewable, such as fishing areas, they can be impacted by overexploitation, leading to resource scarcity. The absence of contingencies promoting sustainable behaviors generates issues affecting the collective accessing these resources. This study aims to explore potential effects of different punishment contingencies involving point loss (fines) on fish extraction responses in an ocean shared with players. A digital game, named Fishing Cards, will be employed as an experimental task to simulate a natural and renewable CPR. In the game, participants will be challenged to capture fish in an ocean using cards with different fishing powers while managing the extraction of the periodically replenishing resource. Three studies will be conducted using this electronic game with participants playing alongside virtual players. Study 1 aims to assess whether the effects of point losses for using cards with higher target capture capacity alter the frequency of common resource extraction responses. Study 2 aims to evaluate whether point loss contingent on the available quantity of the common resource alters extraction responses. Study 3 aims to assess whether point loss contingent on the quantity of the common resource alters extraction responses in the face of point accumulation. The results obtained may contribute to a better understanding of punishment contingencies as behavior control in contexts of resource sharing and, thereby, promote sustainability.