Maintenane Of Relationships Flashcards
What does the SET suggest
For R to work and be maintained there needs ti be an EXCHANGE going on
When there is an exchange in R happening is it a reward or punishment?
REWARD
What may the costs in a R be
Money
Time spent on the person
For a relationship to be maintained what must be made
Profit
Reward - costs =
Profit
When people are in relationships what is created to compare their current relationship
Comparison level
Current R should have more …… Than previous ones in order for it to be maintained
Profits
E-
Who created the equity theory
Walster et al
E-
Even though people are in a relationship due to an Exchange. What else do people stay in a relationship for
Equity
E-
The amount they are putting in the R is
Equal
E-
What if one partner thinks they are putting in more than the other
Inequity happens
E-
The greater the perceived inequity the greater the
Dissatisfaction
E-
Does equity mean exact equality?
No. One partner could be doing more work than the other and still be happy
Depends on partners opinion of whether they are treated fairly
Ev-
RUSBULT ET AL - abusive
Even in abusive R women still may be in a profit situation.
Ev-
Simpson et al
Which theory does it support?
Asked P to rate member of opposite sex to see how attractive they were.
P in relationships -> gave lower ratings than S
Protective mechanism to keep current R going
Social exchange theory
Ev- what is a criticism of these theories
As they’re economic theories they can only be used to explain R in western cultures
Western cultures are more individualist so they focus more on individual profit compared to other non-western cultures
Ev-
MARELICH ET AL
Which theory does it support
Sex is commonly used as an exchange resource
Men used lies by offering a change of commitment to get sex
Women gave into sex to avoid confrontation
Supports Exchange theory
Ev-
SET criticism
Focuses too much on individual viewpoint of R and not looking at social side
Ev-
Criticism
Makes human seem selfish to stay in the relationship there may be other reasons to stay
Ev-
Clark and Mills
Disagree with ideas R based on economic
Different types of relationships
ExChange R after work colleagues and communal R are R for friends or lovers
Ev-
Questioned idea of equity
If equity is the reason for relationship maintenance then R becomes in equitable then they should end.
Ev- DEMARIS
Studied equity in relationships Looks at 1500 couples on survey Small amount of iniquity women felt undervalued which suggests are may end lacks population validity social desirability bias.
RAGSDALE ET AL
Rejects theory and doesn’t explain why married couples stay together
Ev- gender differences
Husbands are earning more they view careers as more important and so do wives. However wife earning more both careers are equal.
Social desirability bias
IDA gender bias
In this theory it highlights the gender bias equity in a relationship is more important to females and males this means there is not applicable to both genders
IDA
Cultural bias
Cultural bias mainly focus on relationships exist in individualist cultures I.e. western cultures and ignore in voluntary relationships such as arranged marriages
Who created the social exchange theory
Thibaut and Kelley
