A Stairwell in a Certain Office Building Is Always Congested

question 160

Multiple Choice

A stairwell in a certain office building is always congested at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. The congestion is so bad that people have been complaining to the building's owner. Which of the following methods would be the most efficient way of reducing congestion?

• A)Assign each person in the building a time when they are allowed to use the stairwell.
• B)Encourage people to voluntarily keep off the stairwell during peak times.
• C)Charge everyone who uses the stairwell when it is congested the same fee. People who value the use of the stairs the most will be the ones who use the stairwell at peak times.
• D)Hold a lottery to determine who wins the right to use the stairwell at peak times.

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Definitions:

Redirected Behavior

Behavior redirected from its original target to another object or individual, often seen in animals when the primary target of an action is inaccessible.

Ambivalent Behavior

Actions or attitudes that exhibit simultaneous, often conflicting feelings towards a person, object, or situation, such as love and hate.

Evolved Mechanisms

Hereditarily acquired traits and behaviors that have been shaped by natural selection because they contribute to an organism's reproductive success.

Evolutionary Psychology

A theoretical approach in psychology that explains human thoughts and behaviors in terms of natural selection and adaptation.