The insight is pretty useful, even if I feel the whole “stag hunt” example is a bit misleading. (Hunts are highly coordinated efforts, and there’s no way people wouldn’t agree on what they’re doing before setting off in the wood. Then, anyone who hunts a rabbit after saying stag isn’t making a Schelling choice, but defecting in full)
They don’t stop.
So I start subtly socially punishing them for it.
They don’t stop. What’s more… now they seem to be punishing me.
Generally speaking, I don’t think this is an effective way to change people’s behaviour. Scientific literature agrees punishments aren’t really effective in modifying behaviour (even if there are some situations where you can’t not use them, or where the knowledge of a lack of punishment causes defection).
In this situation 1) it’s not clear what they’re being punished about or even that this is a punishment, so they might miss it completely and 2) they’d have plenty of ways to avoid the punishment (like avoiding you) so I wouldn’t expect this tactic to work.
Socially reinforcing/rewarding the desired behaviour should work a lot better to shape behaviour and doesn’t exposes you to possible collateral side effects.
The insight is pretty useful, even if I feel the whole “stag hunt” example is a bit misleading. (Hunts are highly coordinated efforts, and there’s no way people wouldn’t agree on what they’re doing before setting off in the wood. Then, anyone who hunts a rabbit after saying stag isn’t making a Schelling choice, but defecting in full)
Generally speaking, I don’t think this is an effective way to change people’s behaviour. Scientific literature agrees punishments aren’t really effective in modifying behaviour (even if there are some situations where you can’t not use them, or where the knowledge of a lack of punishment causes defection).
In this situation 1) it’s not clear what they’re being punished about or even that this is a punishment, so they might miss it completely and 2) they’d have plenty of ways to avoid the punishment (like avoiding you) so I wouldn’t expect this tactic to work.
Socially reinforcing/rewarding the desired behaviour should work a lot better to shape behaviour and doesn’t exposes you to possible collateral side effects.