ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes some actual social dilemmas that have been reported by scientists. This is by no means a complete list of all the real dilemmas that have been reported, and it offers a few examples to illustrate the pervasiveness of real-world social dilemmas. Few researchers have even examined real dilemmas and devised specific solutions in the manner of Charles Samuelson. Energy use has long been thought of as a social dilemma. Energy is a resource, and as with any social trap, the short-term incentive is to consume a great amount of it. Many students of organizations have demonstrated that these programs actually place workers into a social dilemma situation. Many companies have in place incentive programs to motivate workers. Richard Kerr has observed that the steam presents a social trap. There needs to be more collaboration between the various disciplines interested in social dilemmas.
