Equity theory Flashcards
What is Equity Theory?
Equity Theory (Walster, 1978) builds on Social Exchange Theory, suggesting that fairness in the distribution of rewards and costs is crucial for relationship satisfaction.
What are over-benefits and under-benefits in Equity Theory?
Over-benefitting: One partner receives more profit, leading to guilt. Under-benefitting: One partner incurs more costs, leading to resentment.
How can a partner restore equity in an unbalanced relationship?
They may either work harder to balance the relationship or change their perception of what is fair to justify the relationship.
How does perspective on fairness change over time?
Early in relationships, attraction may be more important than equity, but in later stages, fairness and balance become key factors.
What did Utne et al. (1984) find about equity in marriage?
Utne found that couples who felt their relationship was equitable reported greater happiness and stability, supporting the importance of fairness.
What did Huseman et al. (1987) suggest about individual differences in equity?
Huseman identified entitleds (who expect more than they give) and benevolents (who are willing to give more than they receive).
What did Clark and Mills (2011) argue about equity in relationships?
They found that equity plays a stronger role in friendships and business relationships than in romantic relationships.
What is a cultural limitation of Equity Theory?
Aumer-Ryan et al. (2007) found that collectivist cultures are more satisfied when they over-benefit, while individualistic cultures prefer equity.
How does Equity Theory challenge Social Exchange Theory?
It suggests that logical calculations of rewards and costs are less important than perceptions of fairness and emotional satisfaction.
