Social Exchange Theory and Altruism - Essay Example

The repayment to parents should be proportional to what they received. On the other hand, the second one called insurance policy holds that support received by the child earlier in life is repaid or recovered by the parent under conditions of need. The child’s return of support would be proportional to the perceived contributions he received and paid back when the parents are in their greatest need.

Altruism, the third model of intergenerational support, relies on pure altruistic feelings that family members have for one another when one needs support. This model holds that the adult child will provide support for his aging parent regardless of how much or how little the parents invested in the child during the earlier years. More support would be given when parents are frail, extremely sick, or extremely old.

There is support in the literature for all models but the most consistent finding is on the altruistic model because it appeals to greater levels beyond the physical and material exchange. Filial love after all cannot be measured and re-payment is not dependent on what one has received before and when -- which was emphasized by the ROI model and that of the Insurance Policy.

 Discuss the following scenario using Falbo’s power tactics and Bisanz and Rule’s persuasion schema. Which strategy do you think was likely to be perceived most competent?

From Bisanz and Rule’s persuasion schema, the following students could be said to be using the following tactics: In both Falbos’ power tactics and Bisanz and Rule’s power schema, Alice was clearly using force, one of the negative tactics. For “bad things” to happen if she didn’t get her way is clearly blackmail. Sam’s approach was that of using the self-oriented where particularly he mentions personal benefits: what would accrue from his passing, and what would also redound to the instructor’s personal benefit. His level of persuasion is only that of self-orientation as he did not directly refer to his grades and directly bargain. If he did, then the level of Sam’s persuasion would go down to dyad-oriented.

Julie’s approach was also self-oriented but in the area of presenting the information. The discussion of her grade was directly related to the course material for which her grade may be at stake. She held the material from which would arise the talking points for her discussion with the instructor. Although there were hints of some persuasion from her side, her reason is meritorious in that she was willing to get what grades she deserves if she could not get a higher one. She did not touch on issues outside of the exam questions.

Joshua was also using a negative tactic. It is not clear, however, if Joshua had communicated to the instructor of his threat of dropping the class if he didn’t get the grade he wanted. But absence from an important meeting is also a sort of communication. If he dropped, however, it would have no negative consequence on the teacher. Therefore, the seeming threat re-classifies into the mere resort to emotional appeal to the teacher. Absence is sort of sulking.

Carla said she did her best in the exams despite the fact that she had to pay attention to other concerns and help others, over and above students who didn’t work full time. For her efforts at doing her best, she thinks she deserves not just fairness but compassion. In other words, she was appealing for social principles, specifically moral appeal. Her reasons were not directly related to the exam-grade relationship.

In sum, Julie’s approach is most competent. Because grades were the bone of contention, she based her reasons on the exams, the very thing from which the issue of grades was made to rise in the very first place. All the reasons or actions of others to persuade the instructor did not touch directly on the grade-exam relationship. If I were the teacher, I would consider Julie as most competent in persuading. Read More