Maintenance of Relationships Flashcards
Social exchange theory AO2/AO3
. Rusbalt & Martz (1995) explains why people maintain relationships despite abuse - high investments/low alternatives, children = profit, loss of house etc
. Simpson et al - protect own relationships by reducing threats, rate other sex lower for attractiveness if in relationship
. Doesn’t explain why people leave relationships with no alternatives
. Ignores social aspects - eg communication, focuses just on individual - Duck & Sants (1983)
. Selfish/hedonistic
Social exchange theory AO1
. Thibaut and kelley 1959 - based on operant conditioning, form/maintain relationships that are rewarding -> they are profitable as rewards outweigh costs
. Rewards - costs = outcome
* commitment is dependent on profitability of the outcome*
. We develop a comparison level - standard against which all our relationships will be judged, a product of previous relationship experiences and expectations from current relationship
. Worthwhile relationship if potential profit exceeds CL but unsatisfactory if negative result.
. Comparison level for alternatives - s/o weighs up potential increase in rewards from different partner minus costs of ending current relationship
Equity theory AO1
. Walster et al 1978!- strive to achieve fairness, unfairness/inequality = distress
. Dissatisfaction if give > get back vice versa
. > perceived inequity > dissatisfaction > distress
. Inputs/outputs = subjective
. Equitable relationship ~ partners benefits - costs = their partners benefits - their costs
. Perceived inequity might motivate us to change amount we put in/demand from a relationship, or our perceptions, to restore equity
Equity theory AO2/AO3
. Clark and mills 1979 - not all relationships based on economics
. Stafford and Canary (2006) 200 married couples, > satisfaction I) equitable II) over benefited III) under benefited
. Incomplete rendering of how married couples behave
. Christensen et al (2004) IBCT 2/3 60 distressed couples > relationships REAL WORLD APPLICATION
. GENDER DIFFERENCES - Steil and Weltman(1991) neither rated careers more important where women earn more unlike when men earn more
. CULTURAL BIAS - non western societies might value security > personal profit etc
