Research Assignment: Zero-Sum Game and Non-Zero-Sum Game (Essay Sample)

              “Zero-Sum Game” and “Non-Zero-Sum Game” Name: Institution:                               “Zero Sum Game” and “Non-Zero-Sum Game” “Zero-sum game” is a psychological concept that assumes an equal result of competition for all participants or group of players. According to “zero-sum game,” the “sum of all gains by participants is equal to the sum of losses for all the possible outcomes of that game.” Researchers have used various examples with the intentions of creating a deeper understanding of the concept of “zero-sum game.” Cerny and Mannova (2011) in their study of “competitive and collaborative approaches” used the example of “checkers” to explain the idea behind “zero-sum game.” In the game of checkers, for instance, there is always one winner and one loser in which case the winner gets an addition of one point, and the loser goes down by one point. On the contrary, “non-zero-sum game” represents a situation in which an issue does not have a universally accepted outcome or solution. “Non-zero-sum games” are non-competitive in nature, meaning that a win for one player might not necessarily mean a loss for another player. One perfect example that has been used to demonstrate a “non-zero-sum game” include the “prisoners’ dilemma” (Cerny & Mannova, 2011). This type of game explains the non-competitive nature of two prisoners who decided to act in their self-interests with the aims of achieving the best possible results. The theories of “zero-sum game” and “non-zero-sum game” have been vastly used by judges to determine whether or not an issue presented in the court has an optimal solution. Although the psychological concepts behind these two terms differ significantly across disciplines, it is important to understand that both the “zero-sum game” and “non-zero-sum game” hardly represent the conflicts faced by individuals in real life (Cerny & Mannova, 2011). In protection of credibility hypothesis, the application of the two concepts does not mean that the issues presented by two or more opposing forces have straightforward results and solutions as suggested by most psychologists. In “Carol Gilligan’s theory of moral development,” we are introduced to gender differences in “moral reasoning,” “perception of violence,” “resolution of sexual challenges,” and “abortion decisions.” Gilligan’s theory borrows from Kohlberg’s principle of a “feminist perception of moral development” with a focus on different moral judgment ratings. The variations in judgment and moral ratings are caused by gender bias and desire to pursue different voices. While men work to improve their social relationships and moral rights by organizing them in a hierarchical order, women tend to focus more on “interpersonal connectedness,” “care,” “sensitivity,” and “responsibility&...