You want to get the most out of the people you deal with. Prudentially speaking, what’s the best way to treat them? Basic economics has a fairly clear-cut answer: Be negative. If they’re selling you a gourd, say, “What a crummy gourd. Why would I want this piece of junk?”
Isn't this less a distinction between the fields and more a distinction between rewarding people with only money vs rewarding people with non-monetary things? In your example, the economist is only considering the transaction being money based, whereas the psychology answer (and reality) has people exchanging not just money and goods but approbation and other happy feels. As you say, when people like you they want to help you. You could rephrase that as "people want to help you if the think you have good things for them, either money or whatever makes them like you."
Probably the more damning argument against economists is that they only see exchange in terms of money. No enough economists read Adam Smith!
What a crappy article, you could have done better!
But, you are my favorite economist and I adore your style.
That's covering my bases.
Isn't this less a distinction between the fields and more a distinction between rewarding people with only money vs rewarding people with non-monetary things? In your example, the economist is only considering the transaction being money based, whereas the psychology answer (and reality) has people exchanging not just money and goods but approbation and other happy feels. As you say, when people like you they want to help you. You could rephrase that as "people want to help you if the think you have good things for them, either money or whatever makes them like you."
Probably the more damning argument against economists is that they only see exchange in terms of money. No enough economists read Adam Smith!
Reminds me of George Bush after re-election saying, I earned political capital in the campaign and now I intend to spend it.
With views like this you could become a politician