social exchange theory

Question 1

what is a relationship

Answer 1

any ongoing association between two or more individuals Reis 1996

Question 2

what are the 5 main factors of a relationship

Answer 2

physical attraction
proximity/familiarity
attitude similarity
demographic similarity
personality (similarity, complimentary needs)

Question 3

what are the filters affecting attraction?

Answer 3

proximity - physical or geographical closeness, proximity requires a minimum requirement for attraction; the further apart two people live, the less likely it is that they’ll meet

similar demographics - physical attraction, ethnicity , social class, religion, educational background

psychological factors - values, attitudes, beliefs, interests

filter four - complementarity of emotional needs - personality, how well two people fit together

Question 4

what is self-disclosure?

Answer 4

revealing personal info about oneself to another
romantic partners reveal more about their true selves as the relationship develops
vital role in relationships beyond the initial attraction, but most people are careful with what they disclose initially.

Question 5

what does the social penetration theory entail

Answer 5

self-disclosure is a major concept in this theory
in romantic relationships it involves reciprocal exchange of info between intimate partners
when one person reveals some personal info they display trust and to go further the other person must also reveal some personal info
as they disclose more info to each other, romantic partners ‘penetrate’ more deeply into each others lives, and gain a greater understanding of each other

self-disclosure - it is difficult to bear one’s soul to a relative stranger (link to virtual relationships), doing so mean a relationship has reached a stage where it is welcomed and reciprocated

Question 6

what do Thibaut and Kelly describe?

Answer 6

all social behaviour is a series of exchanges

individuals are trying to maximise rewards they obtain from a relationship and minimise costs

its assumed that if a relationship is to continue, people expect the other person to reward them as much as they reward the other person

in or society people exchange resources with the expectation that they will earn a profit

this theory is in line with other economics theories of human behaviour, as it stresses that commitment to a relationship is dependent on how profitable it is

Question 7

what is the “equation” of a relationship?

Answer 7

rewards - costs = outcome of relationship

deterministic
reductionist

Question 8

what are the four stages Thibaut and Kelly state that relationships go through?

Answer 8

sampling, bargaining, commitment and institutionalisation

Question 9

what is meant by sampling (stage 1)?

Answer 9

the costs and rewards of associating with others are explored

Question 10

what is meant by bargaining (stage 2)?

Answer 10

a process of negotiation in which rewards and costs are agreed

Question 11

what is meant by commitment (stage 3)?

Answer 11

exchange of rewards and acceptance of costs stabilise. Greater focus on the relationship itself

Question 12

what is meant by institutionalisation (stage 4)?

Answer 12

norms and expectations are firmly established

Question 13

what is a comparison level?

Answer 13

A standard by which all other relationships are judged

CL is a product of our experiences in other relationships together with our general views of what we might expect from this particular exchange

if potential profit in a new relationship exceeds our CL, then the relationship will be judged as worthwhile and the other person will be seen as attractive

Question 14

how does the comparison level for alternatives

Answer 14

when a person weighs up a potential increase in rewards from a different partner, minus any costs associated with ending the current one

new relationship will take place of the current one if its profit level is significantly higher

Question 15

what is the evaluation for the social exchange theory?

Answer 15

• Rusbult (1983) has incorporated an additional element into this model
• commitment to a relationship does not depend on outcomes and available alternatives but on the amount of investment that has been made
• investments - mutual friends, missed career opportunities, effort, time etc
• theory doesn’t explain why some people leave relationships despite having no alternative
• doesn’t state how great the disparity in CL has to be before it is considered unsatisfactory (Pennington 1986)
• supports free will and holism (unique)
• SET can also be used to describe friendships

Question 16

what did Simpson et al find to support the social exchange theory? (1990)

Answer 16

asked pps to rate members of the opposite sex in terms of attractiveness

those in relationships gave lower ratings than those who were not dating

provides support for social exchange theory - no reason to be looking for others because they are committed, they also many not want their partner to find out

Question 17

what did Lott suggest (1994)?

Answer 17

in many cultures women are more focused on the needs of others rather than receiving reinforcement

• suggests the model may be more male?
• individualistic vs collectivist
• suggests we are less selfish than SET paints us out to be

Question 18

what did Hays (1985) find?

Answer 18

investigated student friendships finding that rather than being focused purely on rewards received, individuals favoured equity, giving priority to rewarding the other person

• challenges SET as theres no wider application to friendships

Question 19

what did Mills and Clark find? (1980)

Answer 19

identified 2 kinds of intimate relationship; the communal couple where each partner gives out concern for the other, and the exchange couple, where each keeps mental record of who is ‘ahead’ and who is ‘behind’. This indicates there are different types of relationship and that SET can be applied to some of them but not universally to all.