Hindering competitor’s learning and «Trojan education» in social interactions

Abstract

One of the most efficient ways to render a competitor unable to cope with the rapidly changing world is to taper with their ability to learn new activities. In education sphere, the competition takes the form of obstructing a competitor’s learning, or of «Trojan education»: the competitor is covertly taught something unprofitable, harmful or dangerous for them, but suits the interests of those who organize the education. Examples of the hindering of learning are given, a classification of types of «Trojan education» is provided, possible theoretical approaches to the problem are laid out, and some results of empirical studies are analyzed.