Relationships - Social Exchange Theory Flashcards
What is the Social Exchange Theory (SET)?
Social Exchange Theory is a theory of how relationships form and develop. It assumes that romantic partners act out of self-interest in exchanging rewards and costs. A satisfying and committed relationship is maintained when rewards exceed costs, and potential alternatives are less attractive than the current relationship.
What are rewards and costs in SET?
Rewards in a relationship include affection, support, and praise, whereas costs may involve time, stress, and energy. Rewards are subjective and vary between individuals. For example, one person may value receiving praise, while another may see it as insincere or demeaning.
What is the Comparison Level (CL) in SET?
The Comparison Level is a way of measuring the profit in a relationship. It is based on expectations of what we feel we deserve, influenced by past experiences and social norms. A relationship is seen as worthwhile if its rewards exceed this level.
What is the Comparison for Alternatives (CLalt) in SET?
The Comparison for Alternatives refers to weighing the rewards and costs of the current relationship against those of alternatives. If alternatives seem more attractive, the current relationship is less satisfying and may be abandoned.
What are the stages of relationship development in SET?
Thibaut and Kelley proposed four stages:
Sampling: Exploring rewards and costs through experimentation or observation.
Bargaining: Beginning a relationship and negotiating the rewards and costs.
Commitment: Rewards and costs become more predictable and stable.
Institutionalisation: Norms of the relationship are established.
What is one evaluation point for SET?
Inappropriate assumptions underlying SET: Many relationships are based on communal sharing rather than exchange. Clark and Mills (2011) argue that romantic relationships focus on mutual care rather than monitoring rewards and costs, making SET’s assumptions unsuitable for such contexts.
What is another evaluation point for SET?
Direction of cause and effect: SET assumes dissatisfaction arises when costs outweigh rewards, but evidence suggests dissatisfaction causes people to focus more on alternatives. For example, Miller (1997) found that highly committed individuals spent less time looking at attractive alternatives.
What is a criticism of SET regarding equity?
SET ignores equity, focusing solely on the comparison level (CL). Equity theory suggests fairness and equality in the distribution of rewards and costs are more important in relationships than just maximizing rewards.
What is an issue with measuring SET concepts?
Measuring rewards and costs is subjective and hard to quantify. The value of a reward or cost differs between individuals, making it challenging to establish a universal standard. This reduces the reliability of SET in explaining relationships.
