This thesis is an examination of the traveler’s dilemma and its backward induction argument. I begin by explaining relevant terminology, the prisoner’s dilemma, and the iterated prisoner’s dilemma; the discussion of which aids my examination of the traveler’s dilemma and its backward induction argument. My evaluation of the traveler’s dilemma involves a dissection of the game into its different components, a presentation of the salient similarities and differences between the traveler’s dilemma and the prisoner’s dilemma, and the exploration of three possible solutions. The first two solutions are adapted from ones initially created to solve other backward induction argument problems. The third solution is original and its foundation rests on the unique structure of the traveler’s dilemma. I focus on this third solution and consider several objections to it. I end this thesis with some ancillary comments about the possibility of generalizing the third solution to other backward induction argument problems.

Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka förskollärares upplevelser och tankar om etik i förskolan, samt synliggöra vilka etiska dilemman som finns mellan förskollärare och barnen i förskolan utifrån förskollärares upplevelser Syftet med studien är även att undersöka vilka val av metoder och verktyg som förskollärarna finner är viktiga för att undvika etiska dilemman i arbetet med barnen. I undersökningen valde vi kvalitativ intervjumetod som metod. Vi har samlat in empiriskt material via intervjuer med tio stycken förskollärare med en lång erfarenhet av yrket i södra Sverige. Samtliga förskollärare har fått svara på samma frågor om etik, etiska dilemman i samspel med barnen och vilka metoder och verktyg som förebygger etiska dilemman. I studien så framkom det att etik är något personligt och individuellt samtidigt som det skiljer sig utifrån olika bakgrunder. Förskollärarna beskriver att deras roll innefattar att lösa konflikter och att det som skapar etiska dilemman är snabba beslutstagande. Det framkommer att de metoder som förebygger etiska dilemman mellan barn och förskollärare är kommunikationen, framförallt inom arbetslaget

Recent research has shown that variation in the gene encoding for the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) contributes to individual differences in social-cognitive and emotional functioning in both clinical and non-clinical populations. OXTR has been associated with prosocial behavior, positive and negative emotionality, empathy, maternal sensitivity, and stress reactivity. To date, no study has investigated OXTR in the context of behavioral and emotional reactions to betrayals in trust. The present study examined how variation in 10 SNPs on OXTR may contribute to individual differences in behavior, emotional reactions, and perceptions following a betrayal in trust in an iterated prisoner’s dilemma game. Following correction for multiple testing, one SNP (rs237887) and two haplotypes (A-rs237887, C-rs2268490; G-rs237887, C-rs2268490) were significantly associated with positive emotional reactions to betrayal. In addition, one haplotype (C-rs9840864, T-rs2268490) was significantly associated with negative emotional reactions to betrayal. The present findings suggest that variation on OXTR may contribute to individual differences in emotional reactions to betrayals in trust.

The overall objective of our research is to understand  how social workers in social services protect the individual's autonomy, integrity and a coercive law which deprives the individual of his rights. In this study, we bring out social secretaries perspective on how they see the compulsory treatment and the problems that can arise in a detention. This study is based on the questions; How are power between social worker and client? What is the social secretary of the law on compulsory as a tool to help clients? We interviewed eight social workers who work specifically with compulsory treatment. We used the result to answer our questions. As a theoretical background, we chose to use the power perspective, the concepts of flexibility and freedom of action and categorizations. The results that emerged from our study are that compulsory treatment is considered to be a positive and negative thing. Social workers believe that the positive of compulsory treatment is that it is a tool to save lives but the downside is that it is forced to use violence.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-134). Also available in print.

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1990. / Title from title page screen, viewed November 22, 2005. Dissertation Committee: M. Paul Holsinger (chair), Lawrence W. McBride, William J. Gnagey, Joseph L. Grabill, L. Moody Simms. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-105) and abstract. Also available in print.

Master-Arbeit Univ. St. Gallen, 2006.

Healthy social interactions are critical for children’s development and academic and life success. Relevant research is found in two key disciplines with different emphases: Developmental psychology focuses on individual thoughts, motivations and traits; and behavioral economics and game theory focuses on behavioral tasks. This project integrated these approaches by validating a game-theoretic task for children, the Repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma (RPD), and demonstrated how it can be used to elucidate the mechanisms underlying children’s social interactions. I developed a novel RPD with fixed-strategy partners in order to test specific hypotheses based on developmental theories of social interaction. Children between 9 and 11 years of age (N = 167) were tested on the RPD followed by questions about how they played and interpreted the task. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing their child’s reactive and proactive aggressive traits, a basis for predicting decisions in the RPD. Children also completed a Social Information Processing (SIP) task with novel positive scenarios in addition to standard negative ones. I hypothesized that: 1) children would interpret the RPD as a real social interaction and engage in strategic forms of play according to game theory; 2) children with different levels of reactive and proactive aggression would show different patterns of RPD play based on theories of aggression; 3) the SIP responses would predict different levels of cooperation in the RPD, and the positive scenarios would generate responses consistent with the general SIP theory. Results showed support for the first hypothesis with classes of motivations (interpersonal and strategic self-interest) predicting RPD behavior. The second hypothesis was partially confirmed: Children rated high on reactive aggression showed reactive responses in the RPD. This analysis also revealed an important novel finding that high-reactive children followed a game-theoretic strategy known as “Grim” – they did not return to cooperation after partner defection. The third hypothesis was partially confirmed: Responses for the positive scenarios were consistent with the SIP model but did not predict RPD play. These findings demonstrate the value of integrating theoretical and methodological approaches from developmental psychology and game theory in order to study the mechanisms of social interaction.

The objective of our paper is to determine the effect of piracy advice from various sources on music consumer behavior. Specifically, does it matter if the source of advice has a stake in the outcome of the piracy decision? Does it matter if the source of advice has a social tie with the advisee? Accordingly, we conduct a lab experiment using teenagers and their parents as subjects, increasing the realism of the context by sampling potential pirates and their parents. Treatments represent various sources of piracy advice (e.g., the teen’s parent, a record label, or an external regulator). Subjects make decisions playing our new experimental game – The Piracy Game – extended from the volunteer’s dilemma literature. Interestingly, subjects respond negatively to advice from record labels over time, purchasing fewer songs as compared to other sources such as the subject’s parent. The existence of a social tie between the advisor and the subject assists in mitigating piracy, especially when a parent is facing potential penalties due to his/her child’s behavior. An external regulator, having no social tie or stake in the decision, provides the least credible source of advice, leading to the greatest amount of piracy. Our analyses not only provide managerial insights but also develop theoretical understanding of the role of social ties in the context of advice.