Relationships L5 - 8 Flashcards
Social exchange theory and who was it proposed by:
- An economic theory assuming that romantic partners act of self-interest in exchanging rewards and costs
- Thibault and Kelley (1959)
How is a committed relationship maintained according social exchange theory?
When rewards exceed costs and potential alternatives are less attractive than current relationship
What economic assumption is social exchange theory based on?
Minimise losses and maximise gains
Give examples of rewards and costs in a relationship (3 examples):
Rewards:
- Companionship
- Sex
- Emotional support
Costs:
- Time
- Stress
- Energy
What did Blau (1964) say about costs in a relationship?
- Relationships can be ‘expensive’
- Relationships can incur the cost of ‘opportunity’
2 ways in which we profit in a romantic relationship:
1) Comparison level
2) Comparison level for alternative
Comparison level:
- Amount of reward you believe you deserve to get
- Based on previous relationship expectations, social norms and person’s self-esteem
- Relationship is worth pursuing if CL is high
Comparison level for alternative:
- Wider context of current relationships
- Whether alternatives would gain the individual more profit than the current relationship
4 stages by Thibault and Kelley:
1) Sampling stage –> Explore rewards and costs of social exchange by observing others/experimenting ourselves
2) Bargaining stage –> Marks beginning of relationship, when partners exchange rewards and costs, negotiating and identifying what is most profitable
3) Commitment stage –> Sources of rewards and costs become more predictable with more stability in relationship
4) Institutionalisation stage –> Partners settle down because rewards and costs are firmly established
Strengths and weaknesses of Social Exchange Theory:
+ Research support –> Gottman (1992)
+ Practical application to couples having relationship issues
- People only monitor rewards and costs once the relationship has become dissatisfying –> Argyle and Duck
- More external factors than just rewards and costs –> Blau (1964)
- Difficult to define a reward and cost –> Littlejohn (1989)
- Not applicable to collectivist cultures –> Moghaddam (1998)
- Most research is conducted on young people in short-term relationships
Gottman (1992):
- Successful marriages –> Ratio of positive to negative exchanges are 5:1
- Unsuccessful marriages –> Ratio is 1:1
Jacobson (2000):
Integrated couples therapy helps partners decrease number of negative exchanges and increase positive exchanges
Argyle and Duck:
- Argyle disagrees that people monitor their relationships in terms of rewards and costs
- Duck agrees and says we only look at comparison levels if we are dissatisfied
Blau (1964):
- Human beings are selfish to think of relationship maintenance in terms of rewards and costs
- Rooted in behavioural approach when cognitive approach would probably be better suited (some relationships continue despite having disproportionately more costs
Equity theory:
Economic theory stating that one partners’ benefits minus their costs should equal the other partner’s benefits minus their costs
What is different between social exchange theory and equity theory?
Social exchange theory focuses on rewards and costs whereas equity theory looks more at fairness
How do over-benefitters and under-benefitters feel in a relationship according to equity theory?
- Over-benefitters: Guilt and shame
- Under-benfitters: Anger and resentment
In what two ways does equity change over time?
- Perception
- How to deal with inequity
4 principles of equity according to who?
According to Walster et al (1978):
1) Profit –> maximising rewards, minimising costs
2) Distribution –> negotiation of rewards and costs to ensure fairness
3) Dissatisfaction –> unfairness leads to stress
4) Realignment –> disadvantaged person aims to restore equity
Give studies supporting equity theory:
- Utne et al (1984)
- Stafford and Canary (2006)
- Brosnan and de Waal (2003)
Utne et al (1984):
- 118 Pps between 16 and 45, who have been together for 2 or more years
- Self-report scales to measure equity and satisfaction
- Those who rated their relationships more equitable were also more satisfied
Stafford and Canary (2006):
- 200 married couples completed questionnaires equity and satisfaction
- Questions about ways they maintained relationships
- Those who saw their relationship as fair were most satisfied, followed by over-benefitters, under-benefitters were least satisfied
Brosnan et de Waal (2003):
- Capuchin monkeys
- Became very angry when denied reward (grapes) for playing a game that fellow monkeys actually received
