Social exchange theory

Question 1

What is the social exchange theory, according to Thibaut and Kelley 1959

Answer 1

• people try to maximise rewards e.g. attention from a relationship and minimise costs e.g. time, effort
• if a relationship is to continue, the rewards must not be outweighed by the costs- we should end up in profit (rewards - costs = outcome)
• but if we are striving to get more and give less, this may result in an unequal relationship

Question 2

What are the 4 stages long term relationships go through

Answer 2

• sampling
• bargaining
• commitment
• institutionalisation

Question 3

What is the comparison level

Answer 3

• a standard againsts which all other relationships are judges
• it is a product of our experiences in other relationships together with our general views of what we expect from this particular exchange
• if the potential profit in a new relationship exceeds our CL, the relationships will be judges as worthwhile, and the other person will be seen as attractive

Question 4

A03- problem with social exchange theory

Answer 4

• it is difficult to define what rewards and costs might be as these will differ between people
• does not explain why some people leave relationships despite having no alternative
• doesn’t state how great the disparity in comparison level has to be before it is considered unsatisfactory (Pennington, 1986)

Question 5

AO3- Rusbalt (1983)

Answer 5

• incorporated an additional element into this model
• commitment to a relationships does not just depend on outcomes and available alternatives, but on the amount of investment e.g. effort, time that has been made

Question 6

AO3- Hatfield (1979)

Answer 6

• asked newlyweds to assess what they and their partner contributed to the relationship and their level of contentment with the marriage
• those who were under benfited felt and and deprived
• those who were over benefited felt guilty and uncomfortable
• regardless of whether individuals are benefited, they do not desire to maintain a relationship if it is unequal

Question 7

AO3 Mills and Clark (1980)

Answer 7

• identified 2 kinds of intimate relationship- the communal couple, where each partner fives out concern for the other, and the exchange couple, wjere each keeps mental records of who is ‘ahead’ and who is ‘behind’
• this indicates there are different types of relationships and SET can be applied to some of them, but not universally all