Theories of relationships

Question 1

Social exchange theory - AO1

Answer 1

Kelley stated that partners were more motivated to maximise their rewards, such as being looked after, and minimise costs, such as financial cost. To be more motivated to stay in the relationship, the rewards must outweigh the costs. Social exchange includes a comparison level where partners compare rewards and costs from their current relationship with those from past relationships, and if the current relationship has more rewards, then they are more motivated to stay. Partners also use a comparison level of alternatives where they compare their current relationship with different relationships they could be in instead, and are more motivated to leave if those other relationships are a better alternative.

Question 2

Social exchange theory - AO3

Answer 2

Support - Hatfield found that underbenefitted partners were angry and resentful, whereas overbenefitted partners felt guilty, suggesting there is wider academic credibility of overbeneffited partners feeling bad.
Refute - There is cultural bias. Moghaddam argues that emphasis on equity is a reflection of dominant values of North America where the theory was made, suggesting relationships in other cultures may look at equity differently.
Refute - Deterministic as there are reasons someone may stay in a high cost relationship, such as when a partner is chronically ill, and there might be no dissatisfaction. This limits predictive validity as the theory cannot establish whether someone will be happy/unhappy based on rewards and costs, undermining the predictive validity.