Help Seeking and Receiving [microform] / Arie Nadler

Although social psychology has always had an interest in helping behavior, only recently has the full complexity of helping relations begun to be researched. Help seeking and receiving in the educational setting raise many issues regarding the use and effectiveness of the help itself. Central to all helping relations is the seeking/receiving dilemma which is characterized by a double-edged emotional sword. The self-threatening aspects in seeking aid produce a motivation not to seek help so as to protect self-esteem. On the other hand, the benefits in seeking help related to task completion produce a motivational force in the opposite direction. Help which is viewed as non-ego-threatening, designed to amend a specific deficiency, and in which the seeker is an active participant in the assistance, is more readily sought than help which fosters dependency. For receiving help to be effective, the recipient must feel that he should and can better his situation. The self-threatening aspects of seeking help are viewed as a challenge which leads to more self-help efforts and eventual self-improvement. However, the paradox of help receiving is that those people who most need help are least likely to receive it since they tend to foster dependency. (Introductions of the five program participants and abstracts of their presentations conclude the document). (BL)