Relationships: Social Exchange Theory Flashcards

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1
Q

What is Social Exchange Theory

A
  • Uses concepts from economics and from operant conditioning.
  • We attempt to maximise our rewards and
    minimise our costs.
  • We commit to the relationship if the outcome is profitable.
    -> Rewards – Cost = Outcome.
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2
Q

What is Thibaut and Kelley’s model on the social exchange theory (Rewards, costs and profits) (MiniMax principle)

A
  • Assumes people try maximise the rewards they obtain from a relationship and minimise the costs.
  • exchange: when people receive rewards from others they feel obliged to reciprocate.
  • Rewards and costs are subjective, rewards and costs can lose or increase their value as the relationship progresses.
    -> this is the MiniMax principle.
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3
Q

Give examples of rewards and costs

A

Rewards:
- companionship
- sex
- emotional support

Costs:
- time
- stress
- money

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4
Q

What is comparison level (CL)

A
  • The amount of reward you believe you deserve.
  • Based on experiences in previous relationships which feeds into the expectations of our current one.
  • Influenced by social norms – determined within a culture, a reasonable level of reward.
  • CL changes as we acquire more data from experiences.
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5
Q

What is comparison level for alternatives (CLalt) (Duck)

A
  • In current relationship, you consider:
  • ‘could I gain more rewards and fewer costs from another relationship or being alone?’
  • ‘could I do better.’
  • SET theory credits that we will stay in our current relationship, only as long as we believe it is more rewarding than the alternative.
    -> Duck -> plenty more fish in the sea.
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6
Q

What are the 4 stages of relationship development

A
  1. sampling
  2. bargaining
  3. commitment
  4. institutionalisation
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7
Q

What is sampling (1st stage of relationship development)

A
  • We consider potential rewards and costs of a relationship and compare it with other relationships available at the time.
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8
Q

What is bargaining (2nd stage of relationship development)

A
  • We give and receive rewards to test whether a deeper relationship is worthwhile.
  • we negotiate what is most profitable.
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9
Q

What is commitment (3rd stage of relationship development)

A
  • The relationship increases in predictability so each partner knows how to elicit rewards from the other, which lowers costs.
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10
Q

What is institutionalisation (4th stage of relationship development)

A
  • relationship norms are developed which establishes the patterns of rewards and costs for each partner.
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11
Q

List the evaluations for SET

A

Positive:
- validity of Cl-alt

Negative:
- Underlying inappropriate assumptions
- Ignores equity
- Difficulty of measuring concepts

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12
Q

(-) Explain how SET makes underlying inappropriate assumptions (Clark and Mills)

A
  • Clark and Mills (2011) argue that SET fails to distinguish between two types of relationships (work or romantic)
  • They suggest that exchange relationships such as between work colleagues, does involve social exchange as the SET predicts -> SET does not factor in other types of relationships.
  • SET claims that reciprocal activities are monitored and weighed up.
    -> Communal relationships do not keep tabs on rewards and costs.
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13
Q

(-) Explain how SET ignores equity

A
  • Central concern of SET is comparison level - ratio of perceived rewards and costs.
  • Ignores fairness or equity.
  • Fairness is more important than rewards and costs in relationships.
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14
Q

(-) explain how there are difficulties with measuring SET concepts

A
  • Rewards and costs are defined superficially in order to measure them.
  • does not consider psychological rewards and costs.
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15
Q

(+) explain the strength of SET (Cl-alt)

A
  • the Cl-alt helps to explain why somebody would terminate a relationship they were not satisfied with (alternative partner can offer more).
  • could explain why people may stay in an abusive relationship -> if someone invested lots into the relationship and there is no Cl-alt then they may stay in that relationship.
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