Comments on: Rational Choice and Traffic http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/ Getting Around on Two Wheels and Two Feet Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:30:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A.J. http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-4049 A.J. Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:54:15 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=1622#comment-4049 Commenting in the barrier issue, it reminds me of the psychology experiement where a mark would "torture" a subject (who was in on the experiement) for incorrect answers on a quiz. The study found those who administered the quiz directly were less likely to "shock" for wrong answers than those separated from the subjects. Of course this was to form a conjecture about Nazi soldiers following orders, but an interesting observation none-the-less. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment Commenting in the barrier issue, it reminds me of the psychology experiement where a mark would “torture” a subject (who was in on the experiement) for incorrect answers on a quiz. The study found those who administered the quiz directly were less likely to “shock” for wrong answers than those separated from the subjects.

Of course this was to form a conjecture about Nazi soldiers following orders, but an interesting observation none-the-less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

]]> By: Andy Cline http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-4041 Andy Cline Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:40:02 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=1622#comment-4041 Alex... That's some of what I meant by "problematic" :-) Alex… That’s some of what I meant by “problematic” :-)

]]> By: Alexander http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-4040 Alexander Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:23:26 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=1622#comment-4040 You see the problem is time and knowledge. So when people seem to act against their interests or don't seem to have made the cost / benefit analysis we just have to realize we've mis-perceived their calculation process.... :-) so if people are not acting the way we predict, we just didn't understand their calculation process... it's a great theory you know lots of published articles that have really lead to concrete gains in our knowledge about the world... hey could you pass the crack pipe? :-) You see the problem is time and knowledge. So when people seem to act against their interests or don’t seem to have made the cost / benefit analysis we just have to realize we’ve mis-perceived their calculation process…. :-) so if people are not acting the way we predict, we just didn’t understand their calculation process… it’s a great theory you know lots of published articles that have really lead to concrete gains in our knowledge about the world… hey could you pass the crack pipe? :-)

]]> By: Jett http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-4034 Jett Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:55:32 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=1622#comment-4034 All of this assumes the driver is actually thinking, of course, but I tend to agree that Hypothesis #2 is a good explanation. 1) We expect the more powerful vehicle to get in front of the lower-powered vehicle and 2) the isolation from the environment does allow people to avoid an unrewarding interaction with another fellow human being. Question: Is it a measure of sophistication that a driver simply makes their way past us when there is no reason for the acceleration? All of this assumes the driver is actually thinking, of course, but I tend to agree that Hypothesis #2 is a good explanation. 1) We expect the more powerful vehicle to get in front of the lower-powered vehicle and 2) the isolation from the environment does allow people to avoid an unrewarding interaction with another fellow human being.

Question: Is it a measure of sophistication that a driver simply makes their way past us when there is no reason for the acceleration?

]]> By: Andy Cline http://isocrates.us/bike/2009/08/rational-choice-and-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-4032 Andy Cline Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:03:35 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=1622#comment-4032 Steve... It is always likely that local conditions will upset a generalized hypothesis :-) Steve… It is always likely that local conditions will upset a generalized hypothesis :-)

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