8. RELATIONSHIPS (Theories of Romantic Relationships - Social Exchange Theory) Flashcards
What is Social Exchange Theory?
A theory of how relationships form and develop. It assumes that individuals act out of self-interest in exchanging rewards and costs.
What is the Minimax Principle?
Thibault and Kelley proposed that individuals try to minimise losses and maximise gains in relationships.
How does Social Exchange Theory define relationship satisfaction?
A relationship is satisfying and maintained when the rewards exceed the costs.
What are examples of rewards in a relationship?
Fun, attention, esteem, love, companionship.
What are examples of costs in a relationship?
Time, emotional strain, financial burden, effort.
What is the formula for relationship profitability?
REWARDS - COSTS = OUTCOME
What is the Comparison Level (CL)?
The amount of reward a person believes they deserve, based on past relationships and societal norms.
How does self-esteem affect CL?
High self-esteem = high CL (expects more from relationships). Low self-esteem = low CL (accepts lower rewards or even losses).
What is the Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLA)?
The idea that individuals assess whether they could receive greater rewards and fewer costs in an alternative relationship or being alone.
How does CLA affect commitment?
If a person perceives better alternatives, commitment to the current relationship decreases.
What are the four stages of relationship development in SET?
Sampling Stage - Experimenting with rewards and costs.
Bargaining Stage - Partners negotiate rewards and costs.
Commitment Stage - Rewards increase, costs decrease.
Institutionalisation Stage - Relationship norms established.
What did Sprecher (2001) find?
Higher CLA was linked to lower relationship commitment and satisfaction in a longitudinal study of 101 dating couples.
How does Sprecher’s study support SET?
It confirms that commitment is influenced by CLA, strengthening the theory’s validity
What did Kurdek (1995) find?
Committed partners perceived the most rewards and fewest costs, regardless of relationship type (gay, lesbian, heterosexual).
How does Kurdek’s study support SET?
It demonstrates SET applies beyond heterosexual relationships, increasing its population validity.
What is a limitation of defining costs and rewards?
Rewards and costs are subjective; they change over time and vary between individuals.
Why is subjectivity a limitation of SET?
It makes it difficult to classify experiences simply as ‘costs’ or ‘benefits’.
How does SET explain abusive relationships?
The costs of leaving (e.g., fear, financial issues) may be greater than the costs of staying, leading individuals to remain in the relationship.
Why is explanatory power a strength of SET?
It accounts for why individuals stay in seemingly unrewarding relationships.
What did Clark and Mills (2011) argue?
Romantic partners do not constantly ‘keep score’ of rewards and costs, which challenges the economic basis of SET.
Why does Clark and Mills’ argument challenge SET?
It suggests that relationships are based on trust, not economic calculations, limiting SET’s validity.
Why is SET culturally biased?
It assumes relationships are voluntary and based on self-interest, which does not apply to cultures with arranged marriages.
Why is cultural bias a limitation of SET?
It may not be valid for collectivist cultures where relationships are influenced by family and social obligations rather than individual reward and cost analysis.
How is SET applied to real-world therapy?
Integrated Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) improves relationships by increasing positive exchanges and reducing negative patterns.
What did Christensen et al. (2004) find about IBCT?
Two-thirds of distressed couples reported significant improvements after IBCT therapy.
How does IBCT support SET?
Its success demonstrates the practical applications of SET, strengthening its validity.
