Question

In class your instructor used the following example: When you put a dollar in a Pepsi machine and you don't get your soda, you kick the machine. You do the same thing when you put a dollar into a Coca-Cola machine too. This best illustrates what concept?

Answer 1

The concept is known as consistent response or conditional behavior. In the election scenario, the Pepsi candidate wins due to the spoiler effect, where the majority vote is split among multiple Coca-Cola candidates, allowing the single Pepsi candidate to win with a consolidated minority vote.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept illustrated by the example where you react the same way to both a Pepsi and a Coca-Cola vending machine when they fail to dispense a soda after you've inserted a dollar is known as consistent response or conditional behavior. This concept is often studied within the realm of psychology and behavioral economics, indicating that an individual tends to repeat a behavior (like kicking a vending machine) when faced with a similar situation, regardless of some other specifics, such as brand in this case.

Addressing the election example for Soft Drink Commissioner, the Pepsi candidate wins despite being outnumbered by Coca-Cola candidates because of a concept known as the spoiler effect. This phenomenon occurs because the Coca-Cola vote is split among the four candidates, while all Pepsi-preferential votes are consolidated behind the single Pepsi candidate. Therefore, although there could be a majority preference for Coca-Cola, the division of votes among several options allows the minority preference to win. This demonstrates a failure to satisfy the will of the majority.