Benefactors and beneficiaries in social capital exchanges

Abstract

Social capital research that specifically interrogates the motives for both benefactors and beneficiaries typically gives short shrift to the motives of beneficiaries, instead focusing on those of benefactors. Building on ideas first proposed in gift-giving and help-seeking research, this paper pays particular attention to the motives of recipients in social capital exchanges. Based on fieldwork in a youth baseball league in the American Southwest, I will argue that recipient motives for accepting (or asking for) help from another parent in the league are complex and worth studying on their own merit. Motives are explored for three of the four types of benefits typically exchanged in the Valley City Little League: Emotional Support, Information Sharing, and Job Information Sharing. Childcare is treated elsewhere.

Notes

1. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST35000003?data_tool=XGtable, accessed December 1, 2012.

2. This sticker was popular in the United States as a reference to then-President Barack Obama’s campaign slogan, which referenced hope and change.

3. It seems likely that Blau’s consultation in disguise may be related to Small’s findings on the availability of help as the prime motivation in asking for it. In another article, Small and Sukhu (2016) noted that people often do not enter encounters with the intention of help-seeking, even in the one in which they eventually engage in it. In the course of conversation, however, the subject may turn either directly to the problem at hand or to something that reminds the help-seeker of the problem at hand, leading to a discussion of the problem and the seeking (or offering) of help.

4. A traditional matanza is a community gathering focused on the slaughtering and processing of a large animal such as a pig or cow for consumption. Valley City still celebrates the winter tradition with a matanza that includes team competitions in slaughtering and processing of these animals. See Martin (2004).