equity theory Flashcards
Who created equity theory?
Walster
What is the equity theory?
- economic theory
- made in criticism of the SET
- SET fails to take into account the need most people have for balance, rather than profit.
-You can put a lot into a relationships and still be happy, as long as there is a perceived sense of fairness.
What is equity?
Equity = fairness
- What matters most is that both partners’ level of profit is roughly the same.
- Nobody is over or under benefiting (a balance between their cost / effort and their benefit / reward)
- Can be different profits
What are the consequences on inequity?
Dissatisfaction and unhappiness
- If a partner is giving a lot and getting little return, they will see the relationship as unequal and unfair
What is equality vs equity?
According to equity theory, it’s not the size or amount of the rewards and costs that matters, it’s the ratio of the two to each other. So if one partner puts a lot into the relationship but at the same time gets a lot out of it, then they are likely to feel satisfied.
- Satisfying relationships are marked by negotiations to ensure equity, that rewards are distributed fairly (not necessarily equally) between the partners. This inevitably involves making trade-offs.
What is the cultural limitations of equity theory?
P: One limitation is that equity theory may not apply to all cultures.
EE : Aumer-Ryan et al. (2007) found that there are cultural differences in the link between equity and satisfaction. Couples from an individualist culture (US) considered their relationships to be most satisfying when the relationship was equitable, whereas partners in a collectivist culture (Jamaica) were most satisfied when they were overbenefitting. This was true of both men and women, so cannot be explained by gender differences.
L: This suggests that the theory is limited because it only applies to some cultures.
What is limitation of equity theory in regards to individual differences?
P: Another limitation is that not all partners in romantic relationships are concerned about achieving equity.
EE: Richard Huseman et al. (1987) suggest that some people are less concerned about equity than the ‘norm’. They describe some partners as benevolents, who are prepared to contribute more to the relationship than they get out of it (underbenefit. Others are entitleds who believe they deserve to overbenefit and accept it without feeling distressed or guilty. In both cases such individuals have less concern about equity than the theory predicts.
L: This shows that a desire for equity varies from one individual to another and is not a universal feature of romantic relationships.
What is a limitation of equity theory concerning cause and effect?
-These is research showing that lack of equity is a cause of dissatisfaction in relationships .Utne et al found both overbenefitting and underbenefiting led to dissatisfaction
- However, other research shows the opposite direction of cause and effect.
- Grote and Clark argue that, as soon as partners start monitoring each other’s contributions, this is a sign of dissatisfaction.
- Once dissatisfaction sets in, partners notice inequities and become even more dissatisfied - a cycle of misery.
What is research to support equity theory?
P: One strength is evidence from studies of real-world relationships that confirm equity theory as a more valid explanation than SET.
EE: For example, Mary Utne et al. (2984) carried out a survey of 118 recently-married couples, measuring equity with two self-report scales.
The participants were aged between 16 and 45 years and had been together for more than two years before marrying. The researchers found that couples who considered their relationship equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as overbenefitting or underbenefitting.
L: This study confirms that equity is a major concern of romantic couples and is linked with satisfaction, a central prediction of equity theory.
