L7 - Equity Theory Flashcards
4 principles
Profit
Distribution
Dissatisfaction
Realignment
Describe distribution
Need to negotiate and distribute rewards and costs to ensure fairness
May compensate
Describe dissatisfaction
If partner feels that they’re underbenefitting, they may be dissatisfied and stressed
Describe realignment
Restoring equity so relationship can continue
Partners receive rewards…
In proportion to the rewards they give their partner
Over-benefitting may lead to
Guilt
Relationships are stable as long as
Both partners feel satisfied with their rewards and costs
+ related to monkey study
Female monkeys retaliated by throwing grapes at experimenter when they saw other monkeys received grapes and they were denied them
- related to operationalisation
Hasn’t clearly outlined what rewards and costs are
Perceived as different by different people
- related to free will
Relationships can be equitable in terms of rewards and costs
Doesn’t mean relationships will continue and maintain
Research found no association between equity and future quality
Research procedure
Newly married couples
Questionnaire on extent to which they believe they were receiving more or less rewards than they should
Research findings
Under-benefitting had lowest satisfaction
Over-benefitting felt guilt
Gender differences in research found
Males over-benefitting were as satisfied as those in equity
Females over-benefitting were less satisfied as those in equity
+ of research
Highlights gender differences
Shows women want equity to be happy
Males are more selfish
May help couples to adjust rewards
- related to questionnaires
Social desirability bias, lying about rewards and costs
Invalid and weak findings?
