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Scottsdale, Arizona
A little lady intrigued by the human experience. I'm persistently enamored by ideas. I fall more in love with life every day.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Does Poverty Breed Negotiators?

It is not uncommon to hear stories about the poor and powerless effectively persuading others to perform daring acts.

In the city of Los Angeles, three deputies working County Jail were caught sneaking drugs, cell phones and/or other contraband to prisoners inside of the jail.  In a similar and more recent case, Maryland prison guards were found to be closely aiding prisoners by providing them with prescription pills, cell phones, and even going so far as to father their children

These persuasion strategies used by poor and powerless also extend far beyond prison walls, and can be seen in much of everyday life. For example, one man planted himself in a grocery store parking lot and propped the hood of his car open, effectively staging a broken down car. His performance was so convincing he was able to persuade one young lady to give him $20 to help pay for a new car part. This young lady may or may not be the author of this blog post. 

Certainly, the claim can be made that human need is a convincing and moving cause. Additionally, one could argue the 'haves' are happy to ameliorate the substandard conditions of those less fortunate. However, perhaps there is something else aiding the poor and powerless in effective negotiations. 

Does poverty breed better negotiators? 

Perhaps, a life of turmoil and instability foster social skills and negotiation skills that surpass those of the well-to-do. Is it possible that superhero negotiation strategies are quickly developed when ones' very survival depends on skills in persuasion and bargaining. 

Best case scenario is that the poor and hungry are better negotiators for two important reasons. First, the poor and hungry might be better able to attain the material things they need for survival. Second, the superhero bargaining skills of the poor might be invaluable to negotiation scholars. For years, academics have been outlining best practices of negotiation by closely analyzing business deals and courtroom negotiations. Now, there may be much to gain by examining negotiation approaches used in the bleakest moments of those who are truly in need.