In this blog post, we will look at why selfish behavior is repeated and how spatial structure affects such behavior.
We are well aware that altruistic behavior is desirable from a social perspective and selfish behavior is not tolerated. This is also related to the historical background in which humans have survived by forming larger communities through the process of helping and cooperating with each other. People usually grow up with the help or sacrifice of others, or witness someone else’s sacrifice, and naturally internalize these values. Therefore, we question actions that harm the community, that is, “selfish” actions that prioritize one’s own interests over the interests of others. The negative consequences of selfish behavior affect individuals from small to large scales, and society as a whole.
This is why we feel anger when we read in the news or see in the newspaper cases of public officials who accept bribes, companies that sell products with falsified ingredients, or captains who abandon passengers on a sinking cruise ship. This is because these selfish acts are not just about seeking personal gain, but also harming others or undermining social trust. We condemn selfish behavior and hope that it will never happen again, but selfish behavior is constantly seen in human society. So why does it still continue? Why does selfish behavior not disappear completely?
One of the theories that provides an answer to the above question is the “spatial structure effect.” The spatial structure effect is the concept that human behavior is influenced by the physical spatial structure, and it is also attracting attention in the fields of psychology and sociology. The “spatial structure” here refers to the distance between individuals and members of society, that is, the physical or psychological distance between people who can interact. This shows that human behavior can be greatly influenced not only by the personality or intentions of an individual, but also by the surrounding environment, especially spatial elements.
For example, if 100 people make up a society, the distance between two specific people will vary greatly depending on how they are placed. If these people are placed in a 10×10 grid, the people closest to one person will be those who are neighbors to the east, west, north, and south, and the others will be farther away. On the other hand, in extreme cases, an arrangement in which all members are located right next to each other can also be considered. This is similar to the Internet, a wide-area communication network that interacts with a large number of unspecified people in real time. Each spatial structure defines the physical distance to a specific person, and that distance is a factor that determines the frequency and density of human interactions.
Then why does the spatial structure effect affect human behavior? This is because physical distance determines the quality and quantity of interactions between members of society. Let’s think about the two spatial structures mentioned earlier. In the case of a grid-like arrangement, the farther the objects are, the more effort it takes to approach and interact with each other. On the other hand, if all members are neighbors, they can interact with anyone with the same effort. If we apply this to the interaction between members of society, we can easily guess the impact of this distance difference on the quality and quantity of interaction.
Now, let’s explain the example of selfish behavior with the spatial structure effect. The captain of a sinking cruise ship has two options. One is to stay inside the sinking ship until all the passengers have escaped, and the other is to leave them behind and escape alone. According to social norms, the former is classified as altruistic behavior and the latter as selfish behavior. Of course, the behavior expected of the captain is to stay until the very end and help the passengers escape. However, the reason why the captain leaves the passengers behind and escapes may be due to the spatial structure of the cruise ship. In the special situation of a sinking cruise ship, the captain can only interact with the crew and passengers around him and through limited communication. In other words, because he is in a confined space with limited interaction with the public and society at large, his behavior is likely to be determined by his relationship with the closest crew members or limited passengers, rather than the entire community.
On the other hand, if the sinking of the ship is being broadcast live across the country and the captain is aware of this, his behavior may change. In this case, the captain may perceive that he is interacting with a spatially distant public, which may increase the likelihood of making an altruistic choice that meets the public’s expectations. The spatial structure effect causes differences in interaction, but ultimately, human behavior is determined by various complex conditions in addition to spatial structure.
In conclusion, spatial structure effects are an important factor that can influence the tendency of altruistic or selfish behavior. This suggests that, theoretically, the behavior of humans can be predicted to a small extent depending on the situation, and provides implications for how to design the environment to reduce socially selfish behavior and promote altruistic behavior. Human behavior is not simply determined by personal characteristics, but is greatly influenced by the environment in which they are placed and how they interact with it, so by providing an appropriate social and physical spatial structure, more desirable social behavior can be induced.
