RELATIONSHIPS- theories for maintenence Flashcards
what are the 2 theories for maintenance?
social exchange theory
equity theory
what is the social exchange theory?
views relationships behaviour as a series of exchanges based on rewards & costs & profit. each person tries to maximise rewards and minimise costs .exchange element done
what is a reward?
seen as pleasurable and beneficial
example of rewards?
company, security,intimacy,sex
what is a cost?
anything seen as loss in individ during rels
example of costs?
effort,financial,investment,time,problems,argument,abuse,loss of rel opportunites to maintain rels.
what is the exchange element?
individ recieve rewards and feels obligated to reciprocate costs- rewards= loss of profit
what does the social exchange theory propose?
rels maintained with further committment as long as individ profit occuring
what does the social exchange theory also propose?
individs use comparison level to determine value of rels
what is the comparison level based on?
past experiences in rela & comparison of possible alternatives. if person judges it could maintain providing profits exceed lev.
what is the equity theory?
similar as sees behaviour within rels as series of exhanges h.w goal not profit it is fairness
what does the equity theory propose?
under benefiting/over both cause inequity leading to dissat/disolution. greater ineq=greater diss
what happens if inequity recognised?
save rels by making adjustments and re-establishing equity.provided loser feels there is chance in storing fairness
how can fairness change be done?
changing input and (output) or changing perception of output/input e.g counselling
what is input?
changing amount put in relationship
what is output?
amount of time taken
what does equity mean?
does not mean equality and both can put diff amounts in rel to be quitable 1 = little get little 1= more get more
what is equity theory based on?
input/output.people can still compose relationship to comparison level look to see worth investing or start new
research for social exchange theory?
mills & clark
rusbult et al
what did mill & clark find?
lack of consistent support for s.e.t as there are 2 types of couples
what are the 2 types of couples in mills & clark?
communal & exchange
what is a communal couple?
each partner gave out concern for each other
what is a exchange couple
each kept mental record of scoring
what does the diff types of couple show?
diff types of rels and that set may lack external validity applying to same but not all r.
what did rusbult et al study?
studied rel maintenece of 7 month period and found set couldn’t explain honeymoon period h.w later rels satisfaction related to costs suggesting better suited for explaining longer term maintenence.
what did rusbult also find?
support of set and comparison level w people gauging cost and rewards in compare to potential rel. lends support to people viewing and maintaing rels on basis of benefits & costs
what are the studies for equity?
yum et al
dainton et al
canary et al
what did yum et al do?
look at various heterosexual r in 6 diff cultures & found people in equitable r engaging in most maintenence stratergies.
what about cultural factors in yum et al study?
little effect in lending support to e and ecological val and wider gen
critiscm of yum et al?
focused on heterosexual r and not homo. and study suffers cultural bias as 6 is small scale and dont apply to wider gen
what did dainton et al do?
219 r’s found those in inequitable r= unhappy but wanting to return to equitable state suggesting equity is important in maint
what did canary et al do?
found a link btw degree of percieved e and the prevelance of maintence strategies suggesting equitable r are mainatained supporting e theory.
study for s.e.t and e theory?
hatefield et al
what did hatefield et al do?
look at people who felt they over benefited/under from r’s/. those under =anger and those over= guilty with neither wishing to maintain that not balanced/fair supporting both
evaluation for economic theories?
reductionist as assume maintenence down to profit/equity. rels = far more complex e.g women abused by husbands but still remain despite high losses.
role of love not factored in either theory=simplistic and incomplete exp
what also is bad with economic theories?
both focused on hetero not homo therefore cant do universal appl and external valid beyond context of hetero
what do s.e.t and e both suffer?
cultural bias as based on western culture. e.g arranged m bring togev dam and community ,maintenence may be down purely to selfish desire/equity which theory dont explin
studies for eval of set and e?
mills & clark
kahn et al
moghaddam
what did mills & clark suggest in evaluating s & e?
not possible to quantify emotional investment = huge role in rels. unable to also explain how love fits in although widely accepted huge factor in maintenece
what did kahn et al suggest in evaluating s & e?
gender bias in both not accepted - females more concerned with equality & equal amounts regardless of input whereas men equity and benefits proportionate to input. neither apply to both genders with preference to 1
what did moghaddam suggest?
evidence for cultural bias in us student. rs prefering equity while euro equality= further cultural differences and limited app each theory depending on culture.
what does moghaddam results also limit?
limit results to younger adults and students rather long terms r’s that are common with older.
