Helping behaviors can negatively impact long-term well-being: How “skin in the game” more effectively helps others

TLDR: In this paper, the authors present a model to explain how support in response to human pain and suffering can sometimes result in negative effects on aid recipients, and they believe that this approach to helping based upon the two-stage model could become the primary effective method for providing assistance to those in need without creating dependency in the long run.

Abstract: Purpose Recently, organizational scholars and social scientists began emphasizing the importance of compassion and altruism and called for increased demonstrations of assistance, giving, empathy and other prosocial conduct toward those in need. Generally, we assume that help is beneficial to those who receive it, and current research on these positive behaviors primarily focuses on the advantages to those who provide it. Despite recent calls for increased levels of aiding the needy and underprivileged, helping may have downsides and adaptive costs to those who receive support that are frequently overlooked. The purpose of the study is to bring to light the potential harm in helping those who lack commitment to improvement, having “skin in the game”. Design/methodology/approach In addition to a literature review, the authors present a model to explain how support in response to human pain and suffering can sometimes result in negative effects on aid recipients. The model specifies two mechanisms, including participation of affected beneficiaries of assistance in the actual aid process and duration of help as factors that may expose vulnerable populations to more risk. Findings The literature strongly suggests that in some instances, helping can be detrimental, to the point where helping can even result in dependency. The authors do not suggest casting a blind eye to those in need, but rather to provide assistance that leads to self-sufficiency. Research limitations/implications Additional research – especially over the long-term – can provide researchers with more detailed results of this approach. Practical implications The findings of this paper can serve as a model approach to provide help that does not create dependency. Social implications Using this approach could provide the ideal method to address long-term social issues that would break the cycle of dependency. Originality/value The authors believe that this approach to helping based upon the two-stage model could become the primary effective method for providing assistance to those in need without creating dependency in the long run.