Andrew taking two cupcakes instead of one results in one family member losing their cupcake. This is an example of <em>the tragedy of the commons</em>. This term is used in social science to describe the behavior of an individual who overuses a limited shared resource in his benefit. This is done to obtain an individual short-term gain that provokes a long-term loss for the group. This is a behavior that shows an individual caring for his self-interest and not caring for the common good.
