Social Exchange Theory

Question 1

Define the term “social exchange theory”

Answer 1

The likelihood of a person staying in a relationship is determined by an assessment of what they get out of a relationship ship compared to what they put in, and how the relationship measures up against what they expect and what they might achieve in a different relationship

Question 2

Explain the role of profit and and loss in the social exchange theory

Answer 2

• Thibaut and Kelly (1959)
• People maximise rewards and want to minimise costs
• Rewards are : companionship, being cared for, and sex
• Costs are : effort, financial investment, and time wasted
  Rewards - costs = outcome (either profit or loss)
• Profit or loss links to commitment of a relationship

Question 3

What is an individual’s comparison level?

Answer 3

• A product of our experiences in other relationships together with our general view of what we might expect from this particular exchanges

Question 4

Does the comparison level determine whether one will stay in a relationship?

Answer 4

• If profit in new relationship exceeds our CL > other person = more attractive and worthwhile & vice Versa
• if one has low CL more likely to stay in an unsatisfying relationship
• A romantic relationship is likely to have a tester degree of solidarity if both partners outcomes or perceived profited are above their comparison level

Question 5

What is another factor other than comparison level that determines whether one will stay in a relationship?

Answer 5

Comparison level for alternatives

Question 6

Explain the role of CLA in relationships

Answer 6

• the person will weigh up a potential increase in rewards from a different partner, minus any costs associated with ending the current relationship
• if alternative = more appealing then individual will be tempted to leave relationship and start a new one elsewhere
• more rewarding a partners alternatives - less dependent on current relationship

Question 7

Outline the procedure of Kurdek and Schmitt (1986)

Answer 7

• investigated importance of social exchange factors in determining relationship quality in 185 couples
• 44 heterosexual, 35 co-habiting heterosexual couples, 50 same sex male couples, 56 same sex female couples
• completed questionnaires

Question 8

Outline the findings of Kurdek and Schmitt study (1986)

Answer 8

• For all couples, greater relationship satisfaction was associated with:

1) the perception of many benefits of the current relationship CL
2) Seeing alternatives to the current relationship as less attractive CLA

• same sex relationships same as heterosexual

Question 9

AO3

Is there evidence for the influence of comparison level for alternatives?

Answer 9

P: Sprecher - longitudinal study of 101 couples - commitment was linked to partners comparison level for alternatives
E: CLA was high - commitment and satisfaction was low
E: those who lack alternatives are likely to remain committed and (satisfied)
&
Those who are committed etc - devalue alternatives

Question 10

AO3

Is simplifying the social exchange theory to costs and benefits confusing?

Answer 10

P: weakness - confusion of what’s a cost and benefit
E: rewarding to one person may be punishing to another.
What might be benefiting at one stage may be seen as a cost later on
E: suggests it is difficult to classify all events in such simple terms as ‘costs me or ‘benefits’ and challengers the view that all romantic relationships operate in this way

Question 11

AO3

What is the problem of assessing value in the social exchange theory?

Answer 11

P: Nakonenzy and Denton (2008) - for social exchange theory to be relevant to personal relationships there must be a way of quantifying the value of Costs and benefits
E: not only is value difficult to determine, but so is relative value of costs and benefits to individuals - not the case on commercial & economic relationships.
E : vagueness of terms such as costs and benefits and difficulty in assessing their value to individuals suggests that this theory is less comfortable explaining more personal ( as opposed to commercial ) relationships

Question 12

AO3

Can this theory be applicable to the real world?

Answer 12

P: Individuals in unsuccessful marriages - report a lack of positive behaviour exchanges with their partner and an excess of negative exchanges
E: Gottman and Levenson (1992) - unsuccessful = 5:1
Successful = 1:1.
- ICBT - increase positive exchanges
E: success rate - Christensen et al (2004) treated over 60 distressed couples - two thirds have improved quality

Question 13

AO3

Is there an overemphasis on costs and benefits?

Answer 13

P: a reliance on profitable outcomes as an indication of relationship satisfaction ignores other factors that play some role in this process
E: individuals own rational beliefs may make them more tolerant to low benefits to costs within their relationships. Although one may realise an unfavourable ratio of benefits to costs, their relationship standard means that they continue to provide benefits to their partner and simply put up with the costs
E: this suggests that social exchange alone cannot explain relationship satisfaction without also considering individual differences in relational standards and beliefs