Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-25-1905
Abstract
This paper is a follow-on to preliminary research on the Quakers conducted in the fall of 2000. That inquiry looked at other-regarding principles in the Quaker religion and how they are applied in practice. Underlying Quakerism is a deep regard for all people. The Quakers believe that “God is in everyone.” They are strongly anti-violent, very receptive of people of other faiths, and generally very tolerant in their approach to life. Because of these principles, Quakers are frequently sought out as mediators, counselors, and leaders of organizations committed to non-violence. The strength of their beliefs about the goodness of all other people led me to the notion that this principle might be transferable and useful as a means of fostering cooperation. It seemed logical that the degree to which one person regards another would have a bearing on his or her willingness to cooperate. If other-regarding/other-valuing (I will use these terms together frequently throughout this paper) can be instilled and reinforced in people and their willingness to cooperate subsequently shown to increase, then we should be able to draw the conclusion that modifying these values produces a positive effect on cooperation. My theory is that it does, and I will present an analysis that supports this conclusion herein. A second, and more difficult question, is whether or not the other-regarding behavior can be generalized across a broader segment of the population (beyond the immediate group). That question is not specifically addressed in this project, but it is a logical extension of the research. The principal literature on cooperation (vs. competition) argues two divergent positions. First, competition is inevitable, part of a Darwinian selection process, and unless actively controlled, will be the default modus operandi of human interaction. Axelrod (1984) best articulates this school of thought in his work on the Prisoner’s Dilemma game. He argues that cooperation has to be instilled (or at least supported by some interventionist strategy). The opposing view is that reflected in the works of Kohn (1986, 1990) and Deutsch (1973), who see competition as strictly a learned behavior, one that can be unlearned, as well. Both of these views, however, focus on external factors influencing cooperation and fail to appreciate the significance that our view of others has in determining our willingness to cooperate. For the practitioner, this is a crucial gap, for while external factors are clearly relevant, they are not sufficient to explain cooperation. This paper will show the influence of other-regarding behavior on cooperation, and while the group under study is somewhat unique, the lessons learned here are of relevance to practitioners in a more generalized context. I will begin the paper with a brief explanation of the setting in which my observations were conducted. A narrative account of my experience follows. I will then provide an analysis of what I observed and how it relates to the research question. The narrative approach I have employed here follows that of William Foote Whyte, whose work, Street Corner Society, I greatly admire. My objective is to tell a story as much as it is to conduct research, and while two prison workshops are clearly insufficient to establish a case for prison reform, it should not escape the readers of this piece that helping prisoners develop alternate ways of dealing with violence is an appropriate objective, even in the absence of any broader interest. One must keep in mind that most of the prisoners in the system will ultimately be released from prison into society. I, for one, would like to see them employ non-violent means of addressing conflict once they have rejoined us. But this paper is about more than just alternatives to violence; it is about how values affect the development of behavioral skills. That is what I hope will be the most useful discussion for management practitioners, the audience I wish most to address.
Keywords
corrections
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
Sloane, Stanton D., "Lessons from the Cellblock: A Study of Prison Inmate Participants in an Alternatives to Violence Program" (1905). Student Scholarship. 285.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/285