Lesson 7 - Equity theory

Question 1

principles of equity theory

Answer 1

• profit
• distribution
• dissatisfaction
• realignment

Question 2

profit

Answer 2

• individuals try to maximise rewards + positive experiences in a relationship whilst also trying to minimise the costs
  = aim is to make a profit

Question 3

distribution

Answer 3

• negotiation is needed in a relationship to ensure that fairness occurs in terms of the rewards + costs distributed = fair
  = e.g. negotiate chores

Question 4

dissatisfaction

Answer 4

• if the relationship is unfair or inequitable
• it produces stress + dissatisfaction especially for the disadvantaged person

Question 5

realignment

Answer 5

• the disadvantaged person will try to restore equity in the relationship
  = so it can continue + be successful

Question 6

equity theory

Answer 6

• states that people will receive rewards from a relationship proportional to the rewards that they give the other person
• e.g. put in little effort, give little rewards = get little rewards in return
• equity leads to happiness + relationship should continue
• if people over-benefit + receive more rewards that their partner = may feel guilty
• if people under-benefit in their relationship + receive less rewards = may feel angry/ sad
• formula

Question 7

formula

Answer 7

rewards - costs = x
the value of x should be the same for both partners for the relationship to be equitabele

Question 8

ads of equity theory

Answer 8

• research support
• monkey study
• social exchange theory

Question 9

disads of equity theory

Answer 9

• western vs eastern cultures
• choice
• operationalisation

Question 10

research support - ads of equity theory

Answer 10

• psych conducted research which supports the idea of equity in relationships
• investigated the idea of inequitable relationships = did this lead to martial disruption/ divorce?
• 1500 couples = US national survey

= found that only subjective indicator inequity was when women in a relationship felt that they were under benefitting
= equity + inequity = very important for females in a relationship
= equity is an important factor in relationships

Question 11

monkey study - ads of equity theory

Answer 11

• supporting evidence about equity theory comes from studying monkeys
• psych found that female monkeys became angry if they were denied a prize for playing a game w/ a researcher
  = especially if they saw another monkey receive the grapes instead, who hadn’t played the game
• the monkeys gor os angry they hurled food at the experimenter
• study supports the idea of equity + fairness
  = applied to humans
  = negative consequences occur when inequity occurs

Question 12

social exchange theory - ads of research on equity theory

Answer 12

• research has support from other economic theories
  = social exchange theory by Kelley
• it seems that there is lots of evidence to suggest that rewards + costs in a relationship/ marriage
  = very important when examining satisfaction levels of the partners
• implication of research is that successful marriages have equal costs + rewards for BOTH partners

Question 13

western vs eastern cultures - disads of equity theory

Answer 13

• equity theory is more applicable to western individualistic cultures rather than easter collectivist cultures
• western individualistic:
• people may be more concerned w/ equal rewards + costs = relationship successful
• HOWEVER eastern collectivist:
• extended family + family values may be more important when maintaining a relationship

Question 14

choice - disads of equity theory

Answer 14

• psych would criticise the equity theory
• found from his research that there is no association between equity in a relationship + future quality + maintenance of a relationship
• just cus a relationship is equal + fair in terms of rewards + costs
  = doesn’t mean that the relationship will progress
• people have free will to choose whether to continue a relationship or not

Question 15

operationalisation - disads of equity theory

Answer 15

• research conduced by other psychs criticised equity theory
• said it’s not possible to assess equity theory in loving relationships
  = many of the rewards + costs are emotional/ psychological
• not easily quantifiable/ measurable
• operationalisation is an issue
• if we measure rewards + costs = could diminish the quality of love in the relationship which could be damaging