Maintaining a Relationship - Social Exchange Theory Flashcards
What type of a theory is the Social Exchange Theory?
An economic theory.
What are the three economic theories?
Social Exchange theory.
Equity Theory.
Investment Model / Rusbult’s model.
What does it mean to have an economic theory?
That they focus on the costs and rewards.
What do economic theories not necessarily take into account?
Emotion.
What does the Social Exchange Theory claim?
You will stay in a relationship of the rewards are high and the costs are low.
What does the Social Exchange Theory claim the most important thing in a relationship is?
Profit.
What is the underlying view of the Social Exchange Theory?
That people are selfish and we view out feelings for others in terms of profit.
How will you achieve a greater profit.
By having a greater reward and lower cost.
What does the Social Exchange Theory claim people aim to do in relationships?
Maximise rewards and minimise costs.
What does the Social Exchange Theory claim we do in terms of our previous relationships?
Compare current relationships to previous ones in order to determine how profitable it is to stay in the current relationship.
What is the standard against which all our relationships are judged called?
A comparison level.
What is our comparison level made?
Through experiences in other relationships together with general view of what we might expect.
What is a slang way to explain our comparison level.
The bottom line, we will not go lower than this.
In a new relationship, in terms of our comparison level, when will we see the relationship as worthwhile and the person as attractive?
When the potential profit exceeds out comparison level.
In a new relationship, in terms of our comparison level, when will we see the relationship as less attractive?
When we judge the profit and it seems like it would be less that out comparison level.
What sort of comparison level may someone who has had an previous unpleasant or unsatisfying relationship have?
A low one, so may be happy in a poor relationship.
What sort of comparison level may someone who has had previous rewarding relationships have?
A high one, so will likely have high expectations for future relationships.
What is a little AO3 point about the comparison level?
It is ideographic.
What are the four stages of the Social Exchange Theory?
1 - Sampling.
2 - Bargaining.
3 - Commitment.
4 - Institutionalisation.
What is the sampling stage of the four stages of Social Exchange Theory?
Considering the potential rewards of a relationship and compare it to other currently available relationships.
What is the bargaining stage of the four stages of Social Exchange Theory?
Giving and receiving rewards to test whether a deeper relationship is worthwhile.
What is the commitment stage of the four stages of Social Exchange Theory?
The relationship increases in predictability so each person knows how to elicit rewards from the other, which lowers costs.
What is the institutionalisation stage of the four stages of Social Exchange Theory?
The relationship norms are developed which establishes the patterns of rewards and costs for each partner.
