Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- PART ONE INTRODUCTION AND THEORY
- PART TWO THE SITUATIONS
- Single-Component Patterns
- Two- and Three-Component Patterns
- Entry #5 The Prisoner's Dilemma: Me versus We
- Entry #6 Threat: Trading Loyalty for Justice
- Entry #7 Chicken: Death before Dishonor
- Entry #8 Hero: Let's Do It Your Way
- Entry #9 Conjunctive Problems: Together We Can Do It
- Entry #10 Disjunctive Problems: Either of Us Can Do It
- Entry #11 Asymmetric Dependence: You're the Boss
- Time-Extended Patterns
- Incomplete Information Situations
- N-Person Situations
- Movement from One Situation to Another
- PART THREE EPILOGUE
- References
- Author Index
- Subject Index
Entry #9 - Conjunctive Problems: Together We Can Do It
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- PART ONE INTRODUCTION AND THEORY
- PART TWO THE SITUATIONS
- Single-Component Patterns
- Two- and Three-Component Patterns
- Entry #5 The Prisoner's Dilemma: Me versus We
- Entry #6 Threat: Trading Loyalty for Justice
- Entry #7 Chicken: Death before Dishonor
- Entry #8 Hero: Let's Do It Your Way
- Entry #9 Conjunctive Problems: Together We Can Do It
- Entry #10 Disjunctive Problems: Either of Us Can Do It
- Entry #11 Asymmetric Dependence: You're the Boss
- Time-Extended Patterns
- Incomplete Information Situations
- N-Person Situations
- Movement from One Situation to Another
- PART THREE EPILOGUE
- References
- Author Index
- Subject Index
Summary
Examples
This situation is one in which each and every person must make some collectively “right” or cooperative choice for all to obtain a more valued outcome; even one person's making a collectively “wrong” or uncooperative choice guarantees all receiving a less valued outcome. Such situations arise routinely in both dyadic and group settings. For example, a couple trying to conceive a child cannot succeed if either member is not present (e.g., is constantly traveling on business).
A fairly large class of such situations arises in dyads when either party can withdraw from interaction with the partner and thereby deprive both of its benefits. Examples include instances when either married partner refuses to talk to or withdraws affection from the other, and when either negotiator out of frustration refuses to bargain actively and in good faith. In this sense, maintenance of dyadic relationships has this conjunctive feature – the withdrawal of either member can effectively terminate the relationship.
Decision-making groups operating under a unanimity rule (e.g., most juries) are in Conjunctive situations – lack of assent by any member prevents the group from finishing its work and reaching a decision. And, as Steiner (1972) has observed, performance groups face this situation in group tasks where the group's level of performance is constrained to be no better than that of its least capable or motivated member. For example, a mountain climbing team that is tethered to one another can only advance at the pace of its poorest climber.
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- Chapter
- Information
- An Atlas of Interpersonal Situations , pp. 228 - 238Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003