RELATIONSHIPS ( EQUITY THEORY) Flashcards
Outline the equity theory
Claims that people are most comfortable when what they get out of a relationship ( benefits) is roughly equal to what they put in ( costs)
Outline the key study into equity : the procedure , findings , strengths and limitations
STAFFORD AND CANARY interested in how equality and satisfaction predicted the use of maintenance strategies used in marriage.
PROCEDURE : Over 200 married couples completed measures of equity and satisfaction , in addition questions asked about affection , sharing household tasks , communicating.
FINDINGS : Satisfaction was higher for spouses who perceived relationship to be equitable , followed by over benefited , under benefitted partners. Under benefitted husbands had lower levels of relationship maintenance strategies compared to equitable or over - benefitted husbands. Spouses who were treated equitably tended to be happier.
Strengths - Empirical support - their research demonstrated that partners who perceived their relationships a equitable reported higher satisfaction levels , supporting the core premise of equity theory.
Limitations - Culture bias . The study’s focus was on western populations limiting the generalizability of the findings across diverse cultures.
EVALUATE THE EQUITY THEORY
STRENGTHS
Hatfield and Rapson
Point - Suggest how couples are concerned with reward and equity depends on the stage of the relationship
Explanation - When couples are in the mutual stages of relationships considerations of rewards , fairness and equity are important , however once committed they become less concerned
Evaluation - happily married couples tend not to keep score of how much they are giving and getting
Link - Couples in equitable relationships are also less likely to risk extra marital affairs therefore generally have longer relationships.
LIMITATIONS
Huseman - benevolents & equity sensitivity
Point - Challenges the view that everyone is equally sensitive to inequality
Explanation - He identified three categories
i) Benovelents - givers and tend to be more tolerant of inequality
ii) Equity sensitives - experience tension when faced with inequality
iii) Entitleds - prefer to be over rewarded , act entitled to receive benefits . They are dissatisfied
Evaluation and Link - ‘Equity sensitivity’ shows the extent to which an individual will tolerate inequality. Shows that there are important individual differences in the impact of inequitable relationships
Aumar - Ryan et al - Cultural differences
Point - Cultural differences in the importance of equity
Explanation - They found that in all the cultures they studied , it was important to be equitable . In the us couples claimed to be in equitable relationships whereas Jamaican couples especially women claimed to be in the least equitable relationships.
EV/LINK - This suggests that people in different cultures differ markedly in how fair and equitable they consider their relationships to be
