Lesson 5 - Social Exchange Theory

Question 1

What is social exchange theory?

Answer 1

• Economic theory of romantic relationships and is based on the idea that relationships are ‘like a business’ whereby we monitor the rewards and costs.

Question 2

Rewards and costs (SET)

Answer 2

• We all want the maximum rewards from a relationship and the minimum costs. The theory proposes that individuals focus on getting out more than they put in. Relationships that are mutually beneficial will succeed whereas relationships that are imbalanced will fail.

Question 3

Comparison within Social Exchange Theory

Answer 3

• we compare our present relationships to our previous relationships we have had. We compare our present partner with people around us who we could potentially have a relationship with (comparison level for alternatives). We look around for a ‘better deal’ if our current relationship is not satisfactory.

Question 4

Strengths of social exchange theory (Jacobson, 2000)

Answer 4

+ Has practical applications. Integrated couples therapy (Jacobson, 2000) helps partners to break negative patterns of behaviours and to decrease negative exchanges, whilst increasing positive exchanges. 66% of couples reported significant improvements in their relationship after receiving his form of therapy.

Question 5

Strength of SET (individual differences)

Answer 5

+ Different people perceive rewards and costs differently so this theory can account for individual differences in attraction.

Question 6

Weakness of SET (Moghaddam, 1998)

Answer 6

• criticised social exchange theory as it is more applicable to individualistic cultures than collectivist cultures. The perceived costs of rewards of relationships might be very different from one culture of the next. Family values and compatibility might be more important rewards in collectivist cultures whereas in individualistic cultures, rewards might be viewed as a partner buying expensive gifts.

Question 7

Weakness of SET (critics)

Answer 7

• critics of this theory disagree with the idea that people spend a great deal of time monitoring their relationship in terms of rewards and costs. They argue that people only monitor rewards and costs once the relationship becomes dissatisfying. For instance, we only look at comparison levels in a relationship when we are already dissatisfied.

Question 8

Weakness of SET (behaviourist)

Answer 8

• SET is rooted in the Behaviourist approach whereby the focus of the relationship maintenance is about rewards and operant conditioning. However, some relationships have little rewards but many costs (e.g. abusive relationships; and yet they still continue.